An overnight fire at the Dansoman Market has claimed the life of an 8-year-old girl and destroyed several wooden structures and shops, according to an official update from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS).

The fire, which started a little after midnight, was first reported at 00:02 hrs.

A crew from the Dansoman Fire Station arrived two minutes later and found the blaze spreading rapidly across multiple sections of the market.

Realising the intensity of the situation, firefighters immediately called for reinforcement.

Eight additional fire engines were dispatched from stations including Industrial Area, Ministries, National Headquarters, Madina, Weija, Anyaa and Accra City. Two water tankers from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly also joined the operation.

Firefighters battled the flames from several directions, working to stop the blaze from overrunning the rest of the market.

The GNFS said the fire was confined at 01:51 hrs and brought under control at 03:03 hrs, after which overhauling operations began to eliminate remaining hotspots.

Amid the chaos, tragedy struck. An 8-year-old girl, trapped inside one of the affected shops, could not be rescued in time. She died in the fire. Her remains were later handed over to the Police for further investigation.

The GNFS says the cause of the fire is not yet known, and investigations are underway.

While many structures were lost, firefighters were able to save several adjoining shops and their contents from destruction.

Authorities say the market area has now been fully secured, but assessments of the damage are ongoing.