At least 1,545 shops were destroyed after a fire erupted in the Kantamanto market area during the early hours of January 2, 2025.
A Kantamanto trader, Samuel Danso, told happyghana.com that the fire peaked around 1:00 AM to 1:20AM, and ravaged everything within a two-mile radius. “Around 1:20 AM, I received a call that the market was on fire. When I arrived, the place was in flames, and many stores had collapsed into ashes. The fire consumed shops along the road and deep into the market.”
The cause of the fire has not yet been identified.
He noted that damage is estimated at about 2,000 shops. “The numbered shops in the market are 1,545, and all of them have been destroyed. In addition, there are smaller stores within the market, bringing the total to roughly 2,000,” he added.
The Ghana National Fire Service reported dispatching 13 fire trucks from across Accra to combat the blaze, which occurred near the Ghana Commercial Bank.
No casualties have been reported. Fire officers on the scene confirmed they had ensured that all traders ob the scene were taken to safety and eventually managed to bring the fire under control.
By: Kobina Baidoo
