Over 500 shops, monies burnt in Makola fire outbreak

• Several goods and monies have been lost

• GhanaWeb was informed that over 500 shops were affected

Following the fire outbreak that occurred opposite the Makola shopping mall in Accra on Monday, several shops, numbering about 500 have been affected.

Some of these affected shops served as a warehouse for some traders whiles others housed traders who sold wigs, weave-ons, perfumes, jewelleries among others.

Eyewitnesses and traders who spoke to GhanaWeb's Ernestina Serwaa Asante said an electrical fault possibly started the fire but the Ghana Fire Service is yet to confirm this report.

They accused the Tudu branch of the Ghana Fire Service of not being responsive, stating that, the fire service personnel walked to the scene to confirm the fire outbreak adjacent Georgina stores.

They noted that the fire started about 8:30am and the fire service personnel visited the scene late.

"The Fire Service personnel have caused more harm than good. It was rubber burning outside one of the shops and we called to inform them about the fire outbreak but there was no response so we walked there to call on them. Can you imagine they walked to the scene to confirm whether the shops were really in flames? Why should 3 storey buildings collapse because of a minor fire outbreak?" an eyewitness told GhanaWeb.

"They arrived with 3 empty fire tenders. Is this the 64 years of independence we are celebrating? Civilians are feeling the pains of the traders, how much more you the fire officer? The Fire Service personnel arrived around 9am and that was when they started calling for reinforcement. Personnel came from Tema to douse the fire," another said.

The Fire Service called for reinforcement to help douse the ravaging fire on arrival.

The personnel were seen using fire cranes to fight the inferno on the 2nd and 3rd floor while the military and others used the pipe holes to quench the fire.