A raging fire yesterday tore through the North Industrial Area near Avenor in Accra, destroying properties estimated at several millions of cedis and sending thick smoke and intense heat across the area.
The fire, which started around 7:18 a.m., spread rapidly and engulfed parts of two major companies, Duraplast and Ashfoam, as firefighters battled for hours to prevent the flames from reaching adjoining businesses, particularly the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
The inferno triggered panic among residents, traders and workers, with vendors hurriedly removing their wares and belongings, while residents living in kiosks and other makeshift structures fled to safety.
Although there were unconfirmed reports that three people might have died, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) said it had not recorded any casualties at the time of filing this report.
An eyewitness told The Ghanaian Times that a woman had sustained burns, while there were also unconfirmed reports that a woman and her child might have been trapped in the fire.
The Public Relations Officer of the Circle Municipal Fire Station, Assistant Divisional Officer Grade One (A.D.O. I), Sebastian Tuffour, said accessibility was a major challenge confronting firefighters.
He said kiosks and other structures had blocked access to parts of the affected area, forcing firefighters to break through some structures and remove obstructions to enable fire engines to reach the scene.
According to A.D.O. 1 Tuffour, several combustible materials stored around the area also contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.
The GNFS dispatched its first fire tender from the Circle Fire Station at 7:20 a.m., shortly after receiving the distress call.
Speaking exclusively to The Ghanaian Times, the Head of Public Relations of the GNFS, D.O.1 Emmanuel Bonney, said eight fire tenders were deployed to the scene, while the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) provided two water tankers to support the operation.
He said strong winds caused the fire to spread rapidly towards Duraplast, eventually entering the company’s facility, where the presence of hydrocarbon materials turned the blaze into a Class B fire.
“Since it is hydrocarbon, it becomes Class B fire. So, we need chemical foam compound to mix it with water to be able to extinguish this type of fire,” he said.
D.O.1 Bonney said firefighters were mobilising chemical foam compounds to deal with pockets of fire that remained at the scene.
He commended the Ghana Police Service for assisting in managing the situation and the Ghana Water Company Limited for redirecting water to the nearest hydrant to ensure an adequate supply for firefighting.
The ECG, he added, disconnected power to the affected area to enable firefighters to operate under safer conditions.
On the cause and extent of the damage, D.O.1 Bonney said the Service had identified the area from which the fire started but had not conclusively established its cause.
He said a full assessment would be conducted after the firefighting operation, with the Service expected to engage the management of the affected companies to ascertain the extent of the damage.
He urged individuals, businesses and communities to exercise greater caution in handling fire as the country entered the dry season, warning that strong winds could cause even small fires to spread rapidly and destroy property.
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