By Elizabeth Larkwor Baah
Shai Hills, Oct. 14, GNA – A fire outbreak on Monday ravaged parts of the Yota Energy Company Limited, an industrial establishment at Shai Hills, destroying several equipment, including industrial ovens used for tyre pyrolysis oil extraction.
Two male workers, aged 27 and 25, sustained varying degrees of burns and were rushed to the Tema General Hospital for treatment before the arrival of officers from the Ghana National Fire Service.
Divisional Officer II (DOI), Ebenezer Yenzu, the Tema Public Relations Officer (PRO), Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) the incident was classified as an industrial fire, adding that the service received a distress call at 11:04 hours, dispatched fire appliances two minutes later, and arrived at the scene by 11:36 hours.
DOII Yenzu explained that the firefighters managed to confine the blaze by 12:55 hours, brought it under control by 20:08 hours, and finally extinguished it at 22:39 hours.
He noted that four fire tenders from Gbetsile, Devtraco, Motorway, and Tema Metro Fire Stations responded to the emergency, with a total of 25 personnel led by senior officers, including Assistant Divisional Officer I Emmanuel Appoh, who led the Gbetsile crew.
He said specialised equipment, including an excavator, was used to overhaul a heap of tyres to prevent further spread of the fire.
He said three industrial ovens used for the extraction of Tyre Pyrolysis Oil (TPO), along with four control boards, were partially burnt. In addition, three cutting machines, a binding machine, and a number of vehicle tyres were completely destroyed.
The PRO said despite the extensive damage, firefighters were able to salvage approximately 95 percent of used tyres, raw materials for production, and a warehouse from the inferno.
He mentioned that the cause of the fire remains under investigation, noting that the GNFS had commenced investigations to ascertain the cause of the fire and assess the extent of damage to the company’s operations.
Senior GNFS officers, including Assistant Chief Fire Officer II Patrick N. Sallah, the Tema Regional Fire Commander, and Divisional Officer I Benjamin Dowuona, Tema Deputy Regional Fire Commander, were among the top officials who supervised operations at the scene.
Also in attendance were officers from the Afienya District Police Command, who provided security and assisted in crowd control.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Sawer/ Christabel Addo