Adum Market Fire in Kumasi Finally Under Control After Six Hours of Intense Efforts

After nearly six hours of intense firefighting, the devastating blaze that tore through parts of Kumasi’s central business district has finally been brought under control.

The fire, which broke out at the Blue Light Arena near Hello FM, was a significant challenge for the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), but the situation has now been contained.

A statement from the GNFS confirmed that overhaul operations are currently in progress to ensure that any remaining pockets of fire are fully extinguished.

The fire had destroyed several shops, spreading quickly through multiple two-story buildings, and caused widespread damage in the commercial hub.

Ashanti Regional Fire Commander ACFO II Peter Tetteh spoke to the media at the scene, providing insight into the difficulties faced by firefighting teams.

He highlighted congestion in the market area as a key factor that delayed response times and complicated firefighting efforts.

“Our teams arrived promptly, but the market’s congestion made it extremely difficult to access the affected areas,” Commander Tetteh explained.

“The shops are closely packed together, which posed a significant challenge for our personnel trying to reach the fire.”

The nature of the goods stored in the shops further complicated the firefighting efforts, according to Tetteh.

With a variety of goods present, including highly flammable materials, the fire proved to be difficult to control.

“The fire is very complex. Some shops contain different types of goods, which made it even harder to manage,” Tetteh continued.

“While we have successfully contained the fire in the front buildings, the back section is still a challenge due to limited accessibility.”

Firefighters were able to position fire tenders behind the affected buildings, but limited space restricted their ability to effectively access key points.

Though ladders were used to fight the fire from the roof, the packed structure of the market made it difficult for crews to reach all necessary areas.

The situation is now under control, but the aftermath of the fire will likely leave many local businesses in distress.

Authorities are now focused on ensuring that the remaining hot spots are completely extinguished and assessing the full scale of the damage.