A fire outbreak has reduced four shops to ashes at Ayigya in the Oforikrom Municipality of the Ashanti Region. 

The incident occurred around 7 PM on Monday, May 27, prompting an immediate response from emergency services.

At least three fire engines were dispatched to the scene to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading further. 

DO2 Nicholas Poku Antwi, who is in charge of regional operations at the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), confirmed the swift deployment of fire engines from Chirapatre, KMA, and Manhyia stations, as the nearest tender at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) was out of service.

Despite the extensive damage to the shops, there were no reported casualties. The prompt action of the fire service prevented the fire from causing more widespread destruction in the area.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to DO2 Antwi. Authorities are working to determine the origin of the blaze and assess the total damage caused.

“Four shops that the fire engulfed that was where they tackled and now the fire is out. Fire engines from KMA, Manhyia and Chirapatre came because when they saw how the fire was raging, they immediately called two additional pumps to come and make sure the fire was suppressed as early as possible. The items that were salvaged were more than the items that got burnt”, the fire officer stated.

“Nobody got injured. We have to make sure we do excavation and other things and come up with the actual cause of the fire”, he further indicated.