{
  "id": 13888929,
  "title": "Public cautioned against attempting to extinguish fire before calling Fire Service",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/public-cautioned-against-attempting-to-extinguish-fire-before-calling",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-12T06:07:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ghanaian Times",
    "slug": "ghanaian-times",
    "url": "https://ghanaiantimes.com.gh/public-cautioned-against-attempting-to-extinguish-fire-before-calling-fire-service/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has urged Ghanaians to call for help immediately upon detecting a fire, cautioning against attempting to extinguish it first. Assistant Chief Fire Officer Grade One (ACFO I) Rev. Naomi Ofori-Adubea Sarpong emphasized that \"Fire will not wait for you during those few minutes you delay.\" This appeal followed a fire outbreak on Thursday night at a warehouse of Zeko Genius Motor Spare Parts in Techiman South Municipality, Bono East Region. GNFS Control Room received the call at 9:29 p.m., and firefighters arrived promptly, but the inferno had already intensified. Workers and passers-by had been battling the flames before calling for assistance. Despite efforts by eight firefighters with two fire tenders and a Rapid Response Vehicle, it took nearly four hours to control the blaze. The GNFS commander said their actions prevented the fire from spreading to nearby properties, including Gaskiya FM, Zen fuel station, and a storey building. She warned that the consequences could have been catastrophic if the flames reached the fuel station. Ofori-Adubea Sarpong stressed the need for traders to keep fire extinguishers and ensure staff know how to raise the alarm quickly. The cause of the fire and the extent of financial loss are under investigation.",
  "summary": "The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has renewed its appeal to the public to call for help the moment a fire breaks out, rather than trying to fight it first and calling only when the situation gets out of hand. “We should not pray for fire outbreaks to occur, but should it occur, they should … The post Public cautioned against attempting to extinguish fire before calling Fire Service appeared…",
  "key_points": [
    "Ghana National Fire Service advises calling emergency services first when fire detected.",
    "Firefighters arrived at Zeko Genius Motor Spare Parts warehouse at 9:29 p.m. on Thursday.",
    "Efforts to control blaze took nearly four hours, preventing spread to nearby properties."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Prioritizing immediate emergency reporting over amateur firefighting efforts reduces the risk of catastrophic property damage and prevents localized blazes from escalating into uncontrollable disasters for surrounding businesses.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}