Mob Attacks Fire Officers In Konongo For Being Late To Fire Scene

Firefighters in Konongo, a municipality in the Ashanti Region, faced the wrath of a mob of residents who assaulted them and damaged their fire truck on Saturday, February 10, 2024. The residents were furious that the firefighters took too long to respond to a fire outbreak that engulfed some properties in the area.

The firefighters from Konongo had been dispatched to another fire emergency near Nkwakwa when they got a call to return to Konongo town, where another fire had broken out. The fire truck was the only one available to serve several communities in the municipality.

As the firefighters arrived at the fire scene in Konongo, they were met with a barrage of stones and other objects thrown by the angry residents. The mob accused the firefighters of negligence and incompetence, and damaged the fire truck, leaving the firefighters in shock.

The police have launched an investigation into the incident, but no arrests have been made yet.

The Ghana National Fire Service had previously warned the public against attacking its officers.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service in the Ashanti Region, D.O.3 Peter Addai, appealed to the public to stop assaulting the firefighters, saying that it violates the laws of Ghana.

He said, “We put our lives on the line to come and save people’s lives, and when we face such aggression, it affects us. We want to advise those who engage in such acts to stop because it is a crime under Section 205 of the Criminal Code. It is illegal to obstruct an officer from performing his duty, so we urge people to stop.”