Fire destroys warehouse and six houses at Laterbiokorshie

A massive fire on Tuesday afternoon gutted a Chinese-owned warehouse and at least six residential houses at Laterbiokorshie in Accra.

The blaze, which reportedly started around 3:00 p.m., is believed to have originated from the warehouse storing highly combustible materials, including shoes and bags.

An eyewitness told the Ghana News Agency that he saw flames in the sky before rushing to the scene. “When I came here, I saw six houses burning in flames. The firefighters were already here trying their best to extinguish the fire,” he said.

According to him, a man was rescued unconscious from one of the houses, while a firefighter collapsed during the operation.

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A Ghana National Fire Service official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the lack of fire hydrants in the area posed a major challenge to their response. He explained that a fully loaded fire tender can run out of water within 15 minutes, especially when multiple hoses are engaged, stressing the need for hydrants within every 150 metres in urban areas.

Despite the difficulty, the firefighters managed to contain the inferno and prevent it from spreading to other warehouses and nearby homes.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and the area’s Member of Parliament (MP) visited the scene to observe the firefighting efforts.

No fatalities were recorded, though officials expressed concern over the injuries. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with forensic experts from the Fire Service expected to begin work today.