A devastating fire that swept through the Dansoman Market in Accra in the early hours of Wednesday, November 26 has been fully extinguished, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has confirmed.
The blaze, which destroyed several wooden structures and shops, also claimed the life of an eight-year-old girl.
According to a statement from the GNFS, the Service received a distress call at exactly 12:02 a.m. reporting the incident. The first crew from the Dansoman Fire Station arrived on the scene within two minutes and found the fire at an advanced stage, rapidly spreading across the market.
Following an initial assessment, firefighters immediately requested reinforcement. Eight fire engines from the Industrial Area, Ministries, National Headquarters, Madina, Weija, Anyaa, and Accra City fire stations were deployed, supported by two private water tankers from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).
The coordinated response helped confine the fire at 1:51 a.m., and firefighters successfully brought it under control by 3:03 a.m.
Overhauling operations continued for several hours as personnel battled hidden pockets of flames. The GNFS confirmed the blaze was fully extinguished at 5:21 a.m.
Tragically, an 8-year-old girl trapped in one of the affected sections of the market was burnt to death.
Her charred remains have been handed over to the police for preservation and further investigations.
While the cause of the fire has not yet been determined, the GNFS noted that the inferno destroyed an unspecified number of wooden shops and commercial structures along with their contents.
Firefighters, however, managed to prevent the fire from spreading to several adjoining structures, saving a significant portion of the market from total destruction.
Investigations into the cause of the blaze are ongoing.
