A massive fire has ravaged more than 500 wooden structures in a settlement behind Ferro Fabrik Ltd in the Tema Heavy Industrial Area, leaving many residents homeless and businesses in ruins.
The blaze, which erupted late Wednesday, June 18, swept rapidly through the densely populated area of makeshift homes and workshops. By the time the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) brought the situation under control, the fire had completely leveled over 500 structures and all their contents.
Firefighters from the Tema Industrial Area Fire Station, led by ADO I Orlando Adablanu, received the distress call at 11:52 p.m. and arrived at the scene within six minutes. The flames were brought under control by 1:59 a.m. and fully extinguished by 5:43 a.m.
To contain the inferno, GNFS deployed six additional fire engines from various stations across Tema Metro, Motorway, Ashaiman, Newtown, Devtraco, and BOST. The operation was coordinated under the leadership of ACFO II Patrick Sallah, Tema Regional Fire Commander, along with other senior officers.
Firefighters successfully prevented the blaze from spreading to nearby factories, including Ferro Fabrik Ltd, but were unable to save the majority of the wooden structures.
Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by GNFS authorities.
Some victims, including residents like Ben Adjei, have expressed devastation over their losses. Government agencies and local authorities are currently assessing the extent of the damage and mobilizing support for affected individuals.
