Ghana: 8-Year-Old Girl Perishes in Dansoman Market Fire

By Bernard BENGHAN

An eight-year-old girl tragically lost her life following a fire outbreak that destroyed parts of the Dansoman Market in the Ablekuma West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region yesterday. The child's body has been taken to the mortuary.

The fire, which broke out around midnight, destroyed several stalls, resulting in the loss of properties, foodstuffs, and other products. The market has been temporarily closed while investigations continue.

According to the Greater Accra Regional Fire Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) II, Rashid Kwame Nisawu, the girl's mother fled the scene and left the child behind when the fire started. About four fire tenders were dispatched to assist the Dansoman Fire Station in extinguishing the blaze, which is suspected to have originated from the area where food vendors prepare meals.

ACFO Nisawu revealed that the fire started in a section containing many gas cylinders, raising concerns that an open flame may have triggered the incident. He added that the police and the Ghana Fire Service (GFS) have launched investigations into the cause of the fire.

The Ablekuma West Municipal Chief Executive, Mr George Kpakpo Allotey, described the incident as unfortunate and expressed condolences to the family of the deceased. He confirmed the temporary closure of the market, assuring that the assembly would provide support to affected traders and the girl's family.

Mr Allotey also urged traders to familiarise themselves with emergency exit procedures, emphasising that the assembly would collaborate with the GFS to enforce proper safety protocols in the market.

Read the original article on Ghanaian Times.

Copyright © 2025 Ghanaian Times. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.