A devastating fire tore through Kumasi’s bustling Adum business district in the early hours of Friday, March 21, reducing multiple shops to ashes and leaving business owners in distress. The inferno, which started around 6 a.m. at the well-known Blue Light Arena near Hello FM, quickly engulfed two-storey buildings, destroying goods worth thousands of cedis.
As firefighters from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) battled the flames for nearly six hours, two individuals were caught attempting to loot from the affected stores. They were swiftly apprehended as security personnel remained on high alert to prevent further criminal activity amid the disaster.
Authorities have since launched investigations into both the cause of the fire and the attempted looting, urging the public to remain vigilant as efforts continue to assess the full extent of the damage.
Ashanti Regional Fire Commander, ACFO II Peter Tetteh, highlighted the challenges firefighters faced in containing the blaze, pointing to congestion within the market area as a significant obstacle.
“Our men arrived early, but accessibility issues due to the closely packed shops delayed our response, allowing the fire to spread further,” he explained.
The GNFS has since confirmed that the fire has been brought under control, with overhaul operations currently underway to extinguish any remaining hotspots. Business owners affected by the disaster are now left counting their losses as investigations into the cause of the fire continue.
