An overloaded power pole on Owula Mampong Street in Accra Newtown, near the Zen filling station, caught fire on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, around 5 a.m. The fire sent plumes of smoke into the sky, sparking concern among local residents.
Eyewitnesses reported that flames began emerging from the transformers around 5 a.m., quickly drawing the attention of nearby residents. The fire lasted for approximately 45 minutes, during which time locals evacuated the area and called emergency services.
This was not the first time such an incident had occurred. Residents shared that the same pole had caught fire on two previous occasions, raising concerns that no steps had been taken by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to address the issue.
The fire is believed to have been caused by the overload of transformers mounted on a single pole.
One resident described the terrifying experience: “I was relaxing after my morning meditation when I heard sparks of fire. I rushed outside and saw that the transformers on the pole were on fire. I immediately woke up my neighbors to evacuate.
“We tried calling the hostel manager, but couldn’t reach him. The pole was right in front of our building, and we couldn’t leave because there was no secondary exit. We called the fire service, but they were delayed, so some residents went to the fire station to alert them. Fortunately, a Good Samaritan with a fire extinguisher was able to put out the flames before the fire service arrived.”
Another resident expressed the dangers posed by the fire: “It was a very scary morning. The hostel where we live doesn’t have a fire extinguisher, and the pole is dangerously close to the house’s gate, which has no second exit. We had no choice but to gather our courage and run for our lives. The fire burned for 30 to 45 minutes before anyone managed to put it out.”
Residents are calling on ECG to address the issue by redistributing the transformers to prevent future incidents and to ensure the safety of the community.
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