A major fire has razed two container shops at the busy Oduponkpehe Market in Kasoa, sparking unrest that saw personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service come under attack.

The blaze completely destroyed the shops, reducing merchandise and property to ashes. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

Tensions escalated when firefighters arrived on the scene, with some youths accusing the service of a delayed response.

Protesters reportedly hurled stones at the officers, damaging the windscreen of a fire tender and briefly hampering efforts to control the flames.

The Weija Fire Station Administrator, DO Addo Danso, explained that fire tenders stationed in Kasoa and Budumburam were not operational at the time, requiring a team to be dispatched from Weija.

He said the crew was met with hostility on arrival but nonetheless managed to bring the fire under control.

No casualties were reported, although the firefighting vehicle sustained damage during the confrontation.

The Awutu Senya East Municipal Chief Executive, Seth Serwono Banini, condemned the assault on the fire officers and instructed the police to investigate both the fire and the attack on emergency personnel.

He urged residents, particularly young people, to refrain from targeting security and emergency workers, warning that anyone found responsible would face the full weight of the law.