A five-year-old girl has drowned after reportedly falling into an uncovered, water-filled manhole at Ansaful, near the Christ Apostolic Church in Winneba in the Central Region.
The incident occurred on Thursday, September 3, 2026, according to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS).
In a Facebook post on Sunday, September 6, the GNFS said the victim’s father, Francis Zewu, reported the incident at the Winneba Fire Station at about 7:57 p.m.
Following the report, the Winneba Municipal Fire Command dispatched a four-member rescue team led by STNO I Anthony McCarthy at 8:16 p.m. The team arrived at the scene at approximately 8:32 p.m.
Upon arrival, the firefighters found family members and church members gathered around an approximately 12-foot-deep manhole.
The manhole was reportedly uncovered and filled with water, raising difficulties for the rescue operation.
The firefighters immediately commenced recovery efforts and deployed a water pump to facilitate the operation.
After about 34 minutes of rescue efforts, the team recovered the lifeless body of the child from the manhole.
The body was subsequently handed over to the Police at the scene for further action.
