A fire outbreak at the Kumasi New Kejetia Market has left a retail shop on the first floor with significant losses after goods were damaged before firefighters brought the situation under control.
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), in a Facebook update, confirmed that the incident affected shop F2230, where stock including hundreds of boxes of matches and other flammable retail items were heavily damaged, mainly by smoke.
Nine firefighters, led by Station Officer I Maxwell Partey, arrived at the scene within two minutes of receiving the emergency call. On arrival, they were met with thick smoke billowing from the shop, prompting an immediate effort to stop the fire from spreading to nearby stalls.
The team quickly deployed portable extinguishers and also made use of the market’s installed hose reel system to contain the blaze.
The fire was brought under control at about 8:48 a.m. and fully extinguished by 9:00 a.m. Although the response was swift, the affected shop recorded considerable losses.
Officials said the damaged items included about 250 boxes of matches, nail polish chemicals, and 10 deodorant containers, with most of the destruction attributed to smoke and heat.
While some goods were successfully salvaged, a significant portion of the shop’s inventory was already compromised. The Fire Service estimates that goods worth millions of Ghana cedis were saved due to the rapid intervention.
Preliminary assessments suggest the fire may have been triggered by the spontaneous ignition of flammable materials stored together in a poorly ventilated space.
No injuries or fatalities were recorded, bringing relief to traders and shoppers in the busy market.