A devastating late-night fire has razed more than 300 shops at the Suame Post Office Market in the Ashanti Region, leaving traders counting their losses and residents in shock.
The blaze, which started around 11 p.m. on Tuesday, August 26, spread rapidly after over 30 gas cylinders exploded, intensifying the inferno. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
Eyewitnesses say they could only watch helplessly as their goods and properties went up in flames. Some nearby residents rushed to the scene and forced open shops in an attempt to salvage items before the fire reached them.
Traders and residents expressed anger over what they described as the late response of personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS). By the time fire engines arrived, much of the market had already been reduced to ashes.
“We called for help earlier, but the fire service came late. By then, everything was gone,” a distraught eyewitness lamented.
The Suame Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Frank Owusu Ansah, who visited the market on Wednesday morning, directed the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Suame Municipal Assembly to work out relief details for affected traders. He assured victims that government would provide support to help them restart their businesses.
“The speedy compliance with this directive will enable government to provide the needed support for the victims to start their business,” Mr. Owusu Ansah said.
The aftermath of the fire painted a bittersweet scene—while some traders desperately searched through the debris for undamaged goods, scrap dealers were busy collecting aluminum, copper, and roofing sheets.
Mr. Owusu Ansah further assured that government would not abandon the victims. “We will not turn our back on you,” he pledged, adding that investigations would be conducted to establish the cause of the fire.