By Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Samuel Ofori Boateng
Kumasi, March 21, GNA – Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana has experienced one of the most horrific fire disasters in its recent history.
No casualty has yet been recorded, but a whole enclave of about three major storey-buildings with many stores and offices, hundreds of container shops, hundreds of stalls and table-top shops, containing merchandise worth millions of Ghana cedis, have been destroyed in the fire.
As at the time of filing this story, the massive fire was still ongoing, and the skies of Adum, the central business district of Kumasi, had been engulfed with thick smoke, which residents described as the ‘Black Friday’.
The cause of the fire, which was reported to have started early Friday morning, is still not known, but an unconfirmed report attributed it to a possible electrical fault.
Lack of access road is impeding efforts of fire fighters to bring the fire under control.
As it stands now, the fire will continue to burn until it dies off naturally, since fire tenders are unable to reach the area.
As at the time the Ghana News Agency visited the area, hundreds of affected traders were seen wailing as their goods continued to burn in the blazing fire.
Business activities in the immediate vicinity of the area was on hold, as the whole environment had been flooded by people from all walks of life to either sympathize with the affected traders or observe what was happening.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer II (ACFOII), Mr Peter Tetteh, Ashanti Regional Fire Commander, who was at the scene told newsmen that, fire fighters arrived at the scene on time, but lack of access roads impeded efforts to contain the fire.
He however, said the officers had been able to confine the fire from spreading beyond the enclave.
GNA
KOM/CAA/GRB