February 14, 2026, DO II Mark Hamilton, the Commander of the Ellembelle Fire Service, reported that the cause of a fire that destroyed a truck loaded with various goods near the Ghana National Gas Office Complex at Ala Bokazo on the Agona-Nkwanta–Elubo Highway remains unknown. He expressed regret that the vehicle lacked fire extinguishers, which could have helped control the flames early on before they escalated into a major fire. Hamilton noted that they were unaware that the fire tender at the district office was malfunctioning, preventing them from putting out the rapidly spreading fire. Although they requested assistance from fire service stations at the Ghana National Gas Processing Plant in Atuabo and from Axim, they were unable to extinguish the fire in time.
Readers may remember that a truck carrying assorted items heading to Aiyinasi in the Ellembelle District recently caught fire near Ala Bokazo. The blaze resulted in the destruction of properties worth millions of Ghana cedis, impacting business owners and the truck’s owner significantly. This incident has raised serious concerns about the Ghana National Fire Service’s readiness and response to fire emergencies in the country. The Ellembelle Fire Service Commander emphasized the urgent need for a new fire tender to improve their emergency response capabilities. He also mentioned that investigations into the fire’s cause are still ongoing.
By Nzema Today
