A fire outbreak at the Kumasi New Kejetia Market has caused significant damage to goods at a retail shop on the first floor before it was brought under control by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS).

According to a post shared on Facebook by the Service, the fire affected shop F2230 and resulted in extensive smoke damage to stock, including hundreds of boxes of matches and other flammable retail items.

Nine firefighters, led by Station Officer I Maxwell Partey, arrived at the scene within two minutes of receiving a distress call.

On arrival, they were met with thick smoke emanating from the shop, prompting an immediate response to prevent the fire from spreading further.

The firefighters deployed portable extinguishers and used the market’s installed hose reel system to bring the situation under control.

The fire was contained at about 08:48 a.m. and fully extinguished by 09:00 a.m. Despite the swift response, the shop recorded notable losses.

Items destroyed or damaged included around 250 boxes of matches, nail polish chemicals and 10 deodorant containers. Officials said the damage was mainly due to smoke and heat exposure.

Although firefighters were able to salvage some goods, the blaze had already compromised a significant portion of the shop’s inventory.

Authorities estimate that goods worth millions of Ghana cedis were saved due to the timely intervention of the fire service.

Preliminary findings suggest the fire may have been caused by the spontaneous ignition of flammable materials stored together in a poorly ventilated environment.

Despite the intensity of the incident, no injuries or fatalities were recorded, bringing relief to traders and patrons of the busy market.