Nkoranza (B/A) Feb. 10, GNA - Monkeys inhabiting Buabeng-Fiema Monkey sanctuary, a tourist centre in Nkoranza district of Brong Ahafo had the scare of their lives as about 50 hectares of their abode was ravaged by bushfire at the weekend.

It was suspected the fire travelled from a farmland near the sanctuary, which has been the home of the animals for years. Luckily all the animals escaped unscathed as they were forced to apply their inherent dexterity to escape from the raging fire. Mr. Francis Nyarko, Station Officer at Nkoranza District Fire Station led a five-member team of firemen to put out the fire and it took them about one and a half hours to complete the task. The local fire volunteers and residents of Fiema assisted the firemen to bring the fire under control.

Mr. Nyarko told Ghana News Agency the bushfire also destroyed some wooden electricity poles at the Salvation Church area, popularly called "Gyidi" and this had plunged the area into darkness. He described as wonderful how the monkeys who were almost trapped by the fire managed to escape into some tobacco barns constructed alongside the road.

The animals re-surfaced after the fire had been brought under control. In a related incident, items worth millions of cedis and belonging to two mechanics were destroyed by a fire outbreak at the Nkoranza Magazine area, situated near the Nkoranza-Techiman road. Mr. Nyako named some of the items as two gearboxes, a motorbike, a spraying machine, spraying guns, 40 gallons of paint and two spare tyres.

He appealed to opinion leaders including Assembly Members, traditional authorities, unit committees and local volunteers to monitor the movements of people to check against the setting of fires to burn the bush and destroy the environment.

Meanwhile officials of the fire station are conducting investigations into the cause of the fire disaster.