A devastating fire tore through a textile shop at Lapaz Market in Accra on Sunday, 27 April, resulting in one person being hospitalised.

The blaze, which erupted on the upper floor of a building, destroyed bedding materials and merchandise valued at millions of cedis.

A young woman, believed to be the shop owner, reportedly collapsed in distress upon witnessing the destruction and was swiftly transported to the Lapaz Community Hospital for medical attention.

Firefighters from the Abelenkpe branch of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) responded promptly, successfully containing the inferno and preventing it from spreading to adjacent shops.

According to the victim’s mother, who co-owns the business, she was situated on the ground floor when her grandchild alerted her to the fire.

Speaking to Channel One TV, ADO I Emmanuel Akwetey, Operations Officer at the Abelenkpe GNFS, stated that the cause of the blaze remains unclear.

“We tried our best to ensure the fire doesn’t extend to adjoining shops. Our men are still in there conducting investigations, so at the appropriate time, the owner will be invited to our station for the report,” he explained.