Two firefighters reportedly collapsed from smoke inhalation while battling a fierce fire that destroyed several shops at Adum in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, May 5, 2026, when a blaze broke out around 7:00 a.m. in the busy commercial enclave.
Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service were swiftly deployed to the scene, where they worked for hours to contain the flames and prevent the fire from spreading to adjoining structures.
Eyewitnesses said thick smoke engulfed the area during the firefighting operation, making conditions extremely difficult for the crew.
In the course of the operation, two firefighters collapsed after inhaling heavy smoke. They were, however, quickly attended to by colleagues and emergency responders.
The fire gutted multiple shops, including businesses around the Pat Thomas Phone Shop area, destroying goods estimated to be worth thousands of Ghana cedis.
Some traders attributed the cause of the fire to erratic power supply, claiming that there had been repeated outages earlier in the morning before smoke was detected from the affected building.
Fire tenders were deployed promptly, while shop owners and traders scrambled to salvage their goods as the flames spread rapidly.
Officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and police personnel were also present to maintain order and begin preliminary assessment of the damage.
The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined, as investigations continue. Meanwhile, affected traders are calling on the Electricity Company of Ghana to address the persistent power fluctuations in the area to prevent future incidents.
🇬🇭 Two firefighters collapsed at the scene after suffering flame suffocation during the Adum fire outbreak while battling to contain the blaze and protect lives.
Cc: @ezratv pic.twitter.com/6lBycudr92
— CDR AFRICA (@cdrafrica) May 5, 2026
