The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has called for the arrest and prosecution of persons who erect buildings on fire hydrants.

The firefighting agency made these calls following the challenges they faced on Monday, October 21, while they were trying to extinguish the inferno that ravaged the Tazani lane section of Kantamanto.

According to GNFS, a distress call reached them around 1:31 a.m., which was swiftly responded to in eleven minutes. By 1:42 a.m., the first fire appliance had already 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. The fire, which gutted two shops, was confined at 4:49 a.m. after nearly three hours of intense firefighting.

They could have swiftly doused the fire by connecting their water hoses to the valves of fire hydrants at the market, but had to rely on the Adabraka Fire Station for more water, as the hydrants in the market had either been covered by concrete or had buildings, shops, and other trading sheds erected over them, making access difficult a worrying situation, Acting Chief Fire Officer Daniella Mawusi Ntow Sarpong, Director of Operations expressed during a media engagement at the scene.

She 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.

The Service confirmed that there were no casualties. However, millions of cedis and goods worth thousands more were destroyed in the inferno.

Earlier reports suggested the fire had gutted several commercial structures; however, GNFS later clarified that two shops were affected. Traders who spoke to JoyNews revealed that some of the affected shops served as a hub for most traders, as they stored 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 trad

In response to GNFS’s calls for prosecution, the Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, 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 urged residents and traders to promptly report suspicious individuals who violate laws instead of waiting for incidents to 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 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 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.

After promises by authorities to reconstruct the market remained unfulfilled for several weeks, traders coordinated the rebuilding themselves, 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 proper access routes.