Ghana: 100 Displaced, 300 Structures Destroyed Following Timber Market Fire Outbreak

18 February 2023

At least one hundred people were displaced and 300 wooden structures destroyed during a fire outbreak at the Timber Market, near Old Fadama, in Accra, on Wednesday.

The fire, which started at 1:00pm, destroyed properties running into thousands of Ghana cedis, but no casualty was recorded.

People, including victims, were reported to have looked on helplessly as their properties were destroyed.

Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) rushed to Timber Market to douse the fire.

The head of Public Relations of the GNFS, Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Timothy Osafo-Affum, who disclosed these to the Ghanaian Times, in Accra, yesterday, said the Service received a distress call at about 1:30pm and proceeded to the Timber Market.

He said fire tenders were deployed from the GNFS Accra Regional Headquarters, National Headquarters, Parliament and the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, to the scene, and the situation was brought under control at 5:15pm.

ACFO Osafo-Affum said a company and 80 structures with their content were salvaged by fire fighters, adding that the GNFS was carrying out investigations to ascertain the cause of the fire.

He said the GNFS faced challenges in carrying out its duties, and mentioned that fire fighters did not get access to some areas during fire outbreak, and also inadequacy of hydrants.

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