Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service have contained the blaze that razed down dozens of market stalls and shops at the Makola No.2 Market, early Friday.

Firefighters initially had challenges accessing the market when the fire started.

The situation was compounded by the unavailability of water in nearby hydrants, Acting Chief Fire Officer (CFO), Brigadier General John Bosco Guyiri told journalists at the scene of the fire.  

According to the Brig. Guyiri, combustible materials stored by the traders fueled the flames, causing extensive damage to property. There were no reported casualties.  

Joy News' Michaela Anderson reported that the fire which started around 4:30am Friday, destroyed goods worth millions of cedis.

     

However, the extent of the damage caused by the fire cannot be readily assessed because the Police are preventing reporters and shopowners from entering the market.

   

 

  One of the victims in a traumatized state 

Personnel from the Ghana Fire Serive, officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and security officials from the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) arrived at the scene not too long after the fire started.

     

      Brigadier-General John Bosco Guyiri, Chief Fire officer of the Ghana National Fire Service at the scene.

Michaela reported that shopowners at the market, who looked on helplessly while feared the fire might extend to a nearby filling station.

She reported earlier although firefighting efforts were slow, noticeable progress was being made by the fire service personnel.

     

Friday's fire is the second fire outbreak at the Makola number 2 market in a year.

In June last year, the same market was ravaged by fire suspected to be the work of arsonists.

The Accra Regional Police Command on Monday March 25 detained a woman on suspicion she was attempting to burn down some stores at the Makola market.

The suspected arsonist, believed to be in her mid 30s, gave her name as Mother Ghana.

She was seen by security persons at the market sprinkling what looked like kerosene on some stores at the market around 2:00 am Monday and was immediately apprehended.

The security men later handed her over to the police.

The suspect appeared to be mentally unstable, according to the Police.

She was subsequently referred to the Accra Psychiatric Hospital for examination.