Another fire has ravaged Kantamanto; this time at the Tazani Lane section. According to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), they received a distress call around 1:31 a.m., which was swiftly responded to within eleven minutes. By 1:42 a.m., the first fire appliance had arrived at the scene.

A total of seven fire engines and a turntable ladder were deployed from the Circle, Industrial Area, Accra Regional Headquarters, Madina, and Legon fire stations, with additional support from two appliances from the National Headquarters.

After nearly three hours of intense firefighting, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) managed to bring the blaze under control around 4:49 a.m. The Service has, however, confirmed that there were no casualties. Millions of cedis and goods worth thousands more were destroyed in the inferno.

Earlier reports suggested the fire, which gutted several commercial structures; however, GNFS later confirmed that two shops were affected by the fire. Traders who were engaged by JoyNews revealed that some of the affected shops served as a hub for most traders, as they packed all their items, including bales of second-hand clothing.

A trader, visibly furious over the Kantamanto fire, called on the Accra Mayor to take decisive action against those responsible for erecting structures over fire hydrants in the market — and for illegally selling the water to the public for profit. She lamented that such practices continually cost traders their livelihoods whenever fires break out.

“The least of my bales is worth GHC100,000,” she cried. “It’s expensive, some bales cost GHC5,000, others GHC8,000, and some GHC4,000.”

Another trader, who said she had lost seven bales valued at GHC4,500 each, also appealed to both the public and the government for support, stressing that their survival depends entirely on their trade.

Meanwhile, the GNFS decried the difficulty in gaining access to fire hydrants. A fire hydrant is a metal water outlet, usually a red or yellow pipe with a valve connected to an underground water supply, which firefighters attach their hoses to, to draw water quickly during a fire.

Their inability to gain access to these hydrants drags on their efforts to extinguish the fires, as they do not carry all the water they’d need in their trucks. The hydrants, which are usually connected to pressurised water lines, mean that once opened, water gushes out forcefully, enough to reach flames on tall buildings or deep inside a burning market.

Acting Chief Fire Officer Daniella Mawusi Ntow Sarpong, Director of Operations, during a media engagement, revealed that just two shops away from where the fire gutted was a fire hydrant but they couldn’t access it because a building had been erected on it, and the owner of the building reportedly sells the water to the public.

She suggested that the government prosecute the culprits involved to serve as a deterrent to others. She also commended the Mayor for taking drastic action by ordering the immediate demolition of all the structures erected on fire hydrants.

“We realised that hydrants are a bit difficult to come by now, so when there is a fire outbreak because of the constant flow of water, we need to turn off the fire. We dispatch more valves so that anytime…there is fire, there is a valve discharging water. But unfortunately, we had to travel all the way to Adabraka.

But you realise that two shops away from where the fire occurred was a hydrant, but they have built a container on it, so the mayor is here. ..that is where the hydrant is supposed to be, and they have built on it, and the person is selling the water to the public. And I think we would have to take the person on, we shouldn’t leave the person like that, yes, to deter people from doing the same.

I’m glad the Mayor is here, and he has taken drastic action”, she stated.

In response to GNFS prosecution calls, the Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, has vowed to arrest and prosecute those responsible for unauthorised buildings blocking fire hydrants.

Speaking to JoyNews, Mayor Allotey said, “Since assuming office, I didn’t know there were hydrants here; I only found out today. I’m demolishing the structures, and I will make sure the offenders are charged and prosecuted.”

He further charged residents and traders to promptly report suspect individuals who violate laws and not wait until incidents occur.

“You can report it to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA). The AMA cannot see everything. Tell us what is happening, and we will attend to it. You must not wait until something happens and then say, ‘I saw the man doing it.’ That is wrong,” he added.

The Mayor also warned traders who defy regulations, noting that previous decongestion efforts had faced resistance.

“I told them to move to the back and sell, but they refused, and we lost one person. The decongestion that I did, I have promised people I am going to do it again, but this time I will not show mercy—it will be strict,” he said.

He highlighted the role of the newly established sanitation court in enforcing city laws. “As you can see, I’m taking action now, I’m demolishing the structures. When I finish, I will make sure those responsible are taken to court and held to account. I will arrest them,” Mr Allotey added.

The cause of the fire is yet to be disclosed; however, preliminary investigations link it to a possible electrical fault.

Kantamanto market, widely recognised as the largest secondhand clothing hub in West Africa, is no stranger to frequent fires.

About ten (10) months ago, a major inferno gutted several parts of the market. Though no casualties were reported, the fire led to the destruction of hundreds of stalls and millions of cedis in goods lost.

After promises by authorities to reconstruct the market remained unfulfilled for some weeks, the traders took charge, coordinated the rebuilding with no guidance from GNFS or the Interior Ministry.

To date, no official funding or structural redesign has been announced by the Ministry of Trade or Local Government

The firefighting authority urged traders to halt reconstruction until proper fire safety measures were in place. DOI Alex King Nartey warned against using combustible materials like wood and emphasised the need for extinguishers, smoke detectors, and access routes.