Youth in Asamankese attack Fire Service personnel, for alleged late arrival at fire scene

There were disturbances at Asamankese in the West Akim Municipality in the Eastern Region last Tuesday following attacks on a team of fire service officers who were alleged to have responded late in attending to a fire outbreak in the town.

Four policemen responding to a distress call by the firemen also came under attack and had to fire warning shots to put the charged crowd at bay.

In the aftermath of the chaos, a Community Protection Assistant ( CPA), Seth Teye Wayo, 27, who had accompanied the police to the scene and a civilian, Richard Yirenkyi, 22, sustained severe injuries on the head and forehead, respectively, and were rushed to the Asamankese Government Hospital for treatment.

Incident

The fire last Tuesday occurred about 7:00pm and affected some stores on the Kwawu Lane in the Asamankese market.

The crowd of youth that had gathered charged on the fire personnel immediately they arrived at the scene in a fire engine with registration number FS 438 that had come from Kade.

In the course of the disturbance, the windscreen of the GNFS vehicle was smashed with a stone thrown from the crowd.

The Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Ebenezer Tetteh, who passed on the information to the Daily Graphic, said the Asamankese Fire station had difficulty with its fire engine and so had to fall on fire personnel from Kade, in the Kwaebibirem Municipality for help.

“By the time the fire personnel from Kade got to the scene, the people had managed to put out the fire and we suspect this may have infuriated them and caused them to behave in the manner they did. We are yet to effect any arrest but the issue will be investigated,” he said.

Attack on Police

The Easter Regional Police PRO said the four police officers were pelted with stones, sticks and other missiles as soon as they arrived at the scene.

“The police were armed with AK 47 riffles and had to fire about 25 rounds to disperse the crowd which was getting fiery,” he said.

The police, he added, were accompanied by six CPAs and three detectives.

“But in spite of the firing of shots, the youth went ahead to damage the bonnet of a police service vehicle with registration number GP 5100,” he said.

Reinforcement

DSP Tetteh said while the melee was unfolding, a reinforcement of police patrol teams arrived from Akwatia and Adeiso to help restore calm.

He said the Adeiso and Akwatia police patrol teams as well as the fire personnel and vehicle from the Kade Fire Station had since returned to their bases.

He said the cause of the fire and properties destroyed could not be readily assessed, adding that the situation was being monitored.