More than 200 shops and stores have been destroyed after a fire tore through a rubber market at Odawna, near the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra, compounding the devastation caused by severe flooding that hit the capital on Monday.
The blaze broke out on the morning of June 29 as torrential rains submerged large parts of Accra, destroying goods worth thousands of cedis and displacing hundreds of traders.
According to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), floodwaters significantly delayed the emergency response by preventing fire tenders from accessing the scene in the early stages of the fire.
Assistant Divisional Officer I (ADO I) Alex King Nartey said firefighters initially struggled to reach the burning structures because roads leading to the market had been inundated.
“Initially, our men tried to get close to fight the fire, but to be honest, they couldn’t get very close. Even though they tried their best to contain the fire, accessibility was the main problem,” he said.
The GNFS later deployed four fire appliances to the scene, with firefighters battling the inferno for several hours before bringing it under control and preventing it from spreading to adjoining businesses.
The fire formed part of a wider disaster that unfolded in the Odawna area, where flooding and the blaze combined to claim lives and cause extensive destruction.
The Fire Service said four people—three men and one woman—died in the Odawna area, while about 300 residents were rescued from floodwaters. Across Accra, at least 12 bodies have been recovered from flood-affected communities, with rescue operations still ongoing.
Assembly Member for the area, Hendrick Noble Kinnkah, said the fire spread rapidly through the flooded community as residents watched helplessly because emergency crews could not immediately reach the scene.
ADO I Alex King Nartey noted that the lack of properly equipped rescue boats continues to hamper the Fire Service’s ability to respond effectively to emergencies in flood-prone areas.
Although the cause of the fire has not yet been established, the GNFS has cautioned traders against cooking within market premises, describing it as a major fire risk. Investigations into the cause of the blaze are underway.
The Odawna fire adds to the widespread impact of Monday’s heavy rains, which also forced the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to temporarily shut down power supply from the Mallam and Achimota primary substations as a safety precaution.
