Adubinsu: Residents of Adubinsu allegedly attacked personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) while they were responding to a fatal fuel tanker explosion in the Afigya Kwabre South District of the Ashanti Region. The Service has condemned the hostile treatment meted out to its personnel.
According to Ghana Web, the firefighters from the GNFS reportedly came under attack from some residents as they worked to contain the blaze and conduct rescue operations at the scene. The Ashanti Regional Public Relations Officer of the GNFS, DOII Atta Aheng Mensah, disclosed that emergency responders were pelted with stones and sachet water, significantly disrupting efforts to manage the fire. He described the behaviour as unfortunate and urged the public to cooperate with emergency personnel during such critical situations.
"When our men got to the scene, they were met with hostilities. We plead with civilians to desist from that. Such behaviours will not be tolerated. There was a lot of stone pelting and even sachet water. It took the intervention of some of the elderly people there to calm these youth down for the men to work," Mensah said.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, June 4, 2026, when a fuel tanker travelling from Edwenase towards Adubinsu reportedly lost control and subsequently caught fire. The tanker is said to have somersaulted before exploding, triggering a massive fire that engulfed six container shops and a nearby house. Two people were confirmed dead in the explosion, while several properties were destroyed.
Despite the challenges faced at the scene, firefighters were eventually able to bring the blaze under control, preventing it from spreading to nearby structures. The GNFS has since renewed its call for public cooperation during emergencies, stressing that attacks on rescue personnel only hinder efforts to save lives and property.