A fire outbreak at Sakumono Estate Junction on Tuesday afternoon destroyed eight shops, while the swift intervention of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) prevented further devastation.

The affected area, located around the Sakumono Estate bus stop near the C&J Hospital, is characterised by a dense cluster of stores situated along the roadside.

Divisional Officer II (DOII) Ebenezer Yenzu, Tema Regional Public Relations Officer of the GNFS, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the Service received a distress call at about 14:47 hours.

Mr Yenzu said due to the risk of the fire spreading through the closely connected structures, a multi-station response was immediately activated.

According to him, personnel from the Motorway Fire Station were the first to arrive at the scene, with reinforcement from the Tema Metro and Industrial Area Fire Stations.

Mr Yenzu disclosed that the fire directly affected eight shops, saying four of the shops, including a bakery, a drinking spot, tailor shops and other supply shops, were partially damaged.

He added that four other shops were completely destroyed by the fire, noting that these businesses dealt mainly in food items, cosmetics, and kitchen appliances, while another drinking spot was also lost.

He stated that no injuries or casualties were recorded during the incident, attributing this to the timely response and coordinated efforts of the firefighters.

He noted that the GNFS was able to save about 42 adjacent shops that were at risk of being consumed by the fire.

According to him, the extent of destruction would have been far greater if not for the swift intervention of the fire personnel, adding that investigations were underway to determine the cause of the fire.