More than five families have been displaced at Mallam Atta, a suburb of Accra Newtown after fire gutted a private facility they were inhabiting.
3news.com’s Stanley Nii Blewu who followed up the story reported that the fire which was said to have started at about 6:00pm was the second incident recorded in Accra on Tuesday August 27, 2024.
The affected facility is a privately owned storey building which accommodates some shops while a section serves as accommodation for some residents.
The fire broke out at a time residential occupants were not at home while the shop operators were also about to close.
The timely intervention by personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service limited prevented the inferno from spreading to two more rooms while the shoppers salvaged their wares which were mainly rubber products.
The cause of the fire has not been confirmed but eyewitnesses suspect gas cylinder explosion.
One of the shoppers, Appiah told 3news.com that when the fire service personnel arrived, they retrieved a gas cylinder from the affected room, but they cannot confirm if that is the cause of fire.
He said, “we cannot confirm if the gas cylinder caused the fire, but people are saying that there was a leakage from the cylinder that caused the fire.”
Appiah further indicated that “the tenant affected is my friend and I can confirm to you that he has lost everything to the fire because we saw his mattress and television on fire.”
Alex King Nartey who speaks for the Ghana National Fire Service said the personnel prioritized the areas not affected by the fire and ensured that it did not spread to nearby facilities. “The situation could have been worse if the fire was not contained,” he said.
He wants the residents to demand the establishment of a fire station closer to them indicating that Maamobi, Nima, Accra Newtown and Mallam Atta are big when put together.
There is also a sensitive installation like the Mallam Atta market so you must have a dedicated fire to help in future eventualities.
For the affected, where to spend the night was a hurdle they never anticipated.
