Traders in Kumasi’s Adum business district are counting significant losses after a fire swept through parts of the area in the early hours of Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
The blaze destroyed a shop and a warehouse stocked with mobile phones, laptops and other electronic accessories, leaving business owners devastated. The cause of the fire remains unknown as firefighters continue efforts to fully bring the situation under control.
The Ghana National Fire Service said it received a distress call at about 6:00 a.m. and promptly dispatched a fire tender from the Komfo Anokye Fire Station. The team arrived at the scene around 7:00 a.m. and began firefighting operations.
Firefighters managed to contain and extinguish the flames in one of the affected shops, preventing the fire from spreading to adjoining businesses.
However, operations were complicated by thick smoke emanating from the upper floor of the building, which was being used as a warehouse.
Ashanti Regional Fire Commander, ACFO I Peter Tetteh, indicated that efforts to access the warehouse were hampered by logistical challenges, particularly the absence of a ladder to reach the affected area.
Some traders have attributed the fire to erratic power supply in the market, although this has not been officially confirmed.
The Ghana National Fire Service has since launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident.
