Fire outbreak guts commercial properties at Accra's Avenor
Commercial properties in Avenor, Accra are engulfed in flames as fire services battle the blaze.
Thick black smoke billowed over the Avenor neighbourhood in Accra this afternoon as fire tore through a row of shops and storage units. The inferno started around 2:30 pm and quickly consumed corrugated metal structures that housed electronics dealers, fabric sellers and timber merchants. Neighbouring residents reported hearing loud explosions before flames spread uncontrollably down the narrow access lanes.
Firefighters from the Accra Central and Osu stations arrived within minutes of the first alarm and began dousing the flames with high-pressure hoses. Witnesses said the narrow alleyways made it difficult for trucks to navigate fully, forcing crews to connect multiple hydrants manually. By 4:15 pm, teams from the National Fire Service had contained the southern edge of the fire but embers continued to flicker in unchecked sections.
The devastating blaze has left dozens of small businesses without inventory or shelter. Traders who spoke to our reporters stood amidst the charred remains of their shops, many refusing to speak on camera while clutching salvaged ledgers soaked in soot.
No fatalities have been confirmed, but several people suffered minor smoke inhalation injuries and were treated at nearby clinics. The Fire Service has opened an investigation into the cause but expected the damage assessment to take several days as engineers gain full access.
