By: Jeremiah Nutsugah
A devastating fire has gutted the popular Legend Pub at Abeka-Lapaz, opposite Eno Mirekua in the Greater Accra region, in the early hours of Monday, July 1, 2024.
The fire, which started around 5:00 am, was brought under control by the National Fire Service personnel around 7:00 am.The fire destroyed valuable items worth thousands of cedis, including wines, television sets, and jewelry.
Eyewitnesses described the incident, stating that the fire began around 5:00 am, originating from the meter and spreading to the main pub. One eyewitness lamented the challenges faced while trying to contact the fire service, “I called the Abelemkpe fire service around 5:00 am, but they claimed they had no water in their tank. I then called the Accra Fire Service, who said they were coming but later claimed they were on another duty. We were directed to call the Circle Fire Service Station, but they were not on duty. It’s disheartening to experience such challenges in a country like ours.”
Another eyewitness who assisted in quenching the fire expressed frustration with the fire service’s delayed response, “When I arrived, the fire was already raging. I tried to help by fetching water to pour on the fire, but it persisted. We waited for the fire service to arrive, but they took over an hour to get here, and by then, the fire had already caused significant damage.”
The eyewitnesses urged the government to support the fire service with more equipment to prevent such incidents in the future. The fire service’s delayed response and lack of resources were widely criticized, with one eyewitness pleading, “Fire is a dangerous phenomenon, and our fire service needs better equipment to help us. We appeal to the government to provide the necessary support.”
The incident sparked a heated debate among onlookers at the scene, with some criticizing the fire service for their delayed response and others blaming the government for failing to provide adequate resources and support to the fire service, hindering their ability to effectively respond to emergencies.
