A fierce fire swept through Kasoa-Columba Junction in the Awutu Senya East Municipality late Thursday night, reducing five commercial container shops to ashes and causing the loss of goods worth millions of Ghana Cedis.
The blaze broke out around 8:30 p.m. and raged uncontrollably for over two and a half hours. Eyewitnesses said it was the swift intervention of local residents—not emergency services—that helped contain the inferno before it could spread further.
Among the destroyed businesses were a provision store, a dressmaking shop, a hair salon, a pedicure center, and a bag store—all gutted completely by the flames.
Frantic calls to fire stations in Kasoa, Budumburam, Weija, and Dansoman reportedly went unanswered, as their fire tenders were said to be out of service. It wasn’t until a team from Anyaa arrived—well after the fire had wreaked its worst damage—that firefighters were able to douse the remaining flames.
Preliminary accounts suggest the fire may have started in the provision shop before spreading rapidly to the surrounding containers. While an electrical fault is suspected, the exact cause remains under investigation.
Many described the sight as heartbreaking and criticized the poor state of emergency response in the area.
Residents are now calling on authorities to prioritize infrastructure improvements and ensure that fire stations in the region are adequately equipped to handle future emergencies.
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