Winneba Fire Station Responded to Fire in New Winneba with Bare Hands

A disturbing scene unfolded in New Winneba on Wednesday, as fire officers from the Winneba Fire Station responded to a raging fire with no equipment, relying solely on their bare hands to assist.

The blaze gutted a five-bedroom house, but reports indicate that firefighters could not actively fight the fire due to a broken-down fire tender — which has reportedly been out of service for over three months.

According to eyewitnesses, The fire reportedly began in one of the rooms before spreading rapidly through the rest of the building. He added that they alerted the Winneba Fire Service as soon as the fire broke out. However, officers allegedly arrived at the scene in a private car and on a motorcycle instead of a fire tender, leaving the crowd frustrated and helpless as the flames spread.

With no functioning fire truck on-site, there was little they could do to stop the flames.

It has emerged that fire tenders at nearby stations like Apam and Agona Swedru are also out of service, leaving the region dangerously under-resourced. As a result, the Winneba Fire Station now relies on support from Mankessim and Budumburam, which explains why officers had to call Budumburam for assistance. When backup finally arrived, both teams collaborated and managed to bring the fire under control.

Fortunately, no lives were lost, but many valuables and household items were destroyed.

The Effutu Municipal Fire Commander, DOII Frederick Adu-Poku, confirmed the incident and explained that the local fire tender had broken down at the time of the call. He added that assistance had to be requested from Buduburam, since the Swedru and Apam fire stations were also dealing with faulty vehicles.

As investigations continue, citizens are urging urgent intervention to revive the region’s fire services, demanding:

1. Restoration or replacement of all disabled fire tenders  

2. Sustainable funding and maintenance

3. Decentralized emergency response capacity

4. Transparency and accountability in fire service operations  

This incident highlights the severe risks communities face when essential emergency services are left to deteriorate. The silent suffering of lives, properties, and futures demands immediate action.

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