Tragedy at Abuom: 7-year-old boy drowns in water-filled manhole near West Hills Mall

A seven-year-old boy, identified as Ebenezer Nyamekye Mensah, has drowned after accidentally falling into a water-filled manhole pit at Abuom Redtop, near the West Hills Mall in Accra.

The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) confirmed that the heartbreaking incident occurred on Sunday, October 26, 2025.

The Kasoa Fire Station received an emergency call and swiftly dispatched a rescue team, which arrived at the scene around 3:45 p.m.

According to a statement issued by Divisional Officer II Desmond E. Ackah, Head of Public Relations at the GNFS, rescue officers immediately launched an intensive search upon arrival.

After several minutes of effort, the team retrieved the lifeless body of the young boy from the flooded pit.

The body was subsequently handed over to the police and transported to the Weija-Gbawe Municipal Hospital morgue for preservation and further investigations into the cause of the tragedy.

Eyewitnesses said Ebenezer had been playing with his brother near the open pit when he accidentally fell in. His brother reportedly ran to alert nearby residents, but efforts to save him proved futile before emergency responders arrived.

The GNFS has since extended its condolences to the bereaved family and urged parents and guardians to keep a closer watch on their children, especially in areas with open drains, pits, and water-filled excavations.

It further appealed to developers and residents to ensure that all manholes, trenches, and open pits are securely covered or fenced off to prevent similar incidents.

“This unfortunate loss could have been avoided,” the GNFS noted, emphasizing that negligence in covering such dangerous sites continues to pose a serious threat to public safety.