An 8-year-old girl has tragically died after being trapped in a fierce blaze that engulfed Dansoman Market in the early hours of today, according to a Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) report.
Her charred body was handed over to the police for preservation and further investigations.
The GNFS received the distress call at 00:02 hrs and immediately dispatched a crew from the Dansoman Fire Station, which arrived on the scene at 00:04 hrs.
Firefighters encountered an intense and fast-spreading inferno that had already consumed large sections of the market.
After a rapid assessment, first responders called for reinforcements. Eight additional fire engines from Industrial Area, Ministries, National Headquarters, Madina, Weija, Anyaa, and Accra City were deployed, supported by two private water tankers provided by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).
Through a coordinated firefighting operation, crews contained the blaze by 01:51 hrs and brought it under control at 03:03 hrs. Overhauling and damping-down operations continued until the fire was fully extinguished at 05:21 hrs.
Several wooden structures and shops, along with their contents, were completely destroyed. Firefighters, however, prevented the fire from spreading to nearby properties.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, with investigations currently ongoing.
