A late-afternoon fire on Friday destroyed a row of stores at Juapong Factory Junction in the Volta Region, leaving traders counting heavy losses and sparking panic among residents.
According to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the blaze was first reported at 2:58 p.m. by a resident, Christopher Amanor. In response, a fire tender (DPT482) with a crew of seven officers, led by LF Konotey and ADOII Dormah, was immediately dispatched from the Akosombo Fire Station.
Firefighters arrived to find thick smoke billowing from the roof of the shops, as residents and shop owners frantically attempted to douse the flames with buckets of water and sand. Their swift intervention is believed to have slowed the spread of the fire before the GNFS team fully took control.
The crew deployed a quick intervention hose and battled the blaze for nearly an hour, eventually extinguishing the last flames at 4:08 p.m.
Although no casualties were recorded, goods worth thousands of cedis were destroyed, leaving many shop owners devastated. Some were seen in tears as they surveyed the charred remains of their businesses.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, but the GNFS has launched investigations to establish what sparked the incident.
Meanwhile, the Service is urging residents and business operators to strictly observe fire safety protocols, particularly during the dry season when the risk of outbreaks is heightened.
Source – My News Ghana
