Josiah
On the night of October 20, a fire broke out at the Makola Shopping Mall in Accra, Ghana, resulting in the destruction of around 200 makeshift structures. The fire was reported around 11:24 p.m., and it took personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) nearly four hours to extinguish the blaze, with the assistance of additional fire crews. Fortunately, no casualties were reported as a result of the fire.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, and authorities have temporarily closed the shopping mall to conduct investigations. Among the items destroyed by the fire were jewelry, perfumes, wigs, cosmetics, hair products, and dresses.
Chief Fire Officer Kofi Forson, Deputy Director of Operations of GNFS, provided details about the incident, stating that over 3,000 stores were saved from the fire, thanks to the efforts of the firefighting teams. The fire had spread to the ground floor, the first floor, and certain sections of the mall that specialized in perfumes and hair products. Nine fire tenders were deployed to bring the fire under control, and they succeeded around 4:52 a.m.
During the firefighting operation, there were numerous challenges, including explosions, as many people had stored gas cylinders within the affected structures. The combustible nature of the items being sold, like perfumes, further fueled the fire. Despite these difficulties, the firefighters managed to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to the nearby ECG sub-station and roughly 3,000 other structures. Access to the trouble spots was hindered by the makeshift structures that blocked the alleys, and specialized equipment was used to gain access to the site where the fire had occurred.
The incident underscored the bravery and dedication of the firefighting teams, who worked diligently to ensure the fire was extinguished and prevented from reigniting.
Source: Omanghana.com
