Tema, Jan 27, GNA - Fire on Sunday gutted the second floor of the Tema Main branch of the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), near the defunct Meridian Hotel, but without reaching the vault in the banking hall. The Bank would therefore open for normal business on Monday, Mrs Thyra Obuobi, Deputy Head of Public Relations, has assured. Mrs Oboubi said the fire, which was promptly controlled by firemen would not affect the bank's operations.

The fire which started from the legal department of the Bank at about 1200 noon spread to the third floor, destroying documents. At 1310 hours when the GNA got to the scene, fire tenders were still on sight fighting the fire while the police kept guard to avoid any looting.

Mr Paul Enyonam Tamakloe, Tema Municipal Fire Officer, said the team of fire fighters from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) and the fire department of the Ghana Ports and Harbours (GPHA) got to the scene at 1230 hours. Mr Tamakloe said even with three fire tenders, it took the team about two hours to successfully put out the blaze, due to their inability to locate its source.

He assured customers of the bank not to panic because monies kept at the bank were unaffected.

Mr Tamakloe stated that the cause of the fire was not immediately known, and that the GNFS and the police would investigate it. Mr Lawrence Fianyo, Senior Security Officer at post at the time of the fire incident told the GNA that he called the Fire Service the moment he detected smoke emitting from the building, adding that he believed it might have been caused by an electrical fault. Mr David Quaye Annang, Tema Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Ishmael Ashitey, Tema East MP and DSP Daniel Dankyi Ansong, Commander of the Tema Port and Harbour Police, all commended the fire fighters for responding swiftly to the blaze. 27 Jan 08