A fierce midnight fire ripped through the Dansoman Market on Wednesday, claiming the life of an 8-year-old girl and destroying several trading structures.
The Ghana National Fire Service said the incident was reported at 12:02 a.m., with the first responders arriving moments later to find flames rapidly advancing across the market. With the fire spreading in multiple directions, crews called for backup.
Eight additional appliances from stations across Accra — including Madina, Weija, Ministries, Industrial Area, Anyaa and the National Headquarters — were dispatched, supported by two Accra Metropolitan Assembly water tankers.
Firefighters battled the blaze for hours, eventually containing it at 1:51 a.m. and bringing it under control just after 3:00 a.m. Overhauling continued until dawn to extinguish remaining hotspots.
During the operation, the body of an 8-year-old girl was discovered among the burnt structures. She could not be rescued in time. Her remains have been transferred to the police as investigations begin into the cause of the fire.
While several wooden shops were lost, fire crews managed to stop the blaze from engulfing adjoining structures. Damage assessment is ongoing.
