A fire outbreak has destroyed some 500 wooden structures at Gbagbasete, a suburb of Jamestown in Accra.

The fire, which began around 2p.m, rapidly spread through the entire area due to the presence of highly inflammable materials and substances.

Fortunately, there were no casualties, and the fire service, which had its training school nearby, rushed to the scene to douse the fire.

Although the exact cause of the fire is not known, some eyewitnesses sharing their account with JoyNews on April 9 suggested that a woman might have left the fire she was using unattended.

Nii Atofotse, a fisherman, said it started with thick smoke, initially leading them to believe it was a burning car tyre. However, upon closer inspection, they discovered their homes engulfed in flames.

With water scarce at the scene, residents had to trek to the sea to fetch water to contain the fire.

"Indeed a lot has been destroyed and I have to thank the fire service for arriving here on time and rescuing us,” he added.

The prompt response of the fire service prevented further damage, as they arrived shortly after the fire began spreading.

But King Nartey, a fire service officer, highlighted the challenges they faced, including the absence of fire hydrants in the area.

“The unfortunate thing and challenge is that there are no fire hydrants here and if there were fire hydrants at the place it would make our work easier rather than having to travel all the way to Kaneshie with our appliances to have it replenished and come back to the scene to bring the fire under control,” he said.