GHANA NATIONAL FIRE SERVICE CONTAINS MAJOR AVENOR INDUSTRIAL AREA FIRE

The Ghana National Fire Service has successfully contained the major fire that swept through parts of the North Industrial Area at Avenor in Accra after several hours of intensive firefighting operations.

The development was confirmed Thursday evening after emergency crews worked throughout the day to stop flames from spreading through the densely occupied industrial enclave.

According to the latest update, firefighters had stopped the fire from spreading in an affected section while personnel remained at the scene completing operations before the entire incident could be formally declared under control.

The containment represents a major change from conditions earlier in the day, when firefighters were struggling with an intense blaze affecting businesses and nearby structures.

FIRE AFFECTED PVC WAREHOUSE AND WOODEN STRUCTURES

The fire broke out early Thursday morning in the Avenor Industrial Area near an Electricity Company of Ghana facility.

The Ghana News Agency reported that the Ghana National Fire Service identified the affected facilities as including a PVC warehouse and adjoining wooden structures.

Personnel from the Fire Service, Ghana Police Service and National Ambulance Service were deployed as emergency teams worked to protect lives and prevent the fire from spreading to neighbouring properties.

The industrial area contains warehouses and businesses alongside residential and informal structures, making containment particularly important because of the risk of the fire spreading through closely packed properties.

ACCESS PROBLEMS COMPLICATED FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS

One of the major challenges confronting firefighters was access to the affected area.

Earlier in the operation, the Fire Service began clearing structures to create routes through which personnel and equipment could reach sections of the blaze.

Citi Newsroom reported that structures obstructing access were demolished as firefighters attempted to position equipment closer to the affected properties.

The difficulties demonstrate a wider emergency response problem in densely developed parts of Accra, where narrow or obstructed access routes can make it harder for fire engines and other emergency vehicles to reach incidents quickly.

The full circumstances surrounding the access problems at Avenor are expected to form part of the assessment following the fire.

DURAPLAST REPORTS MAJOR LOSSES

The blaze also caused extensive damage to stock belonging to Duraplast.

The company's Marketing Manager, Emmanuel Donkor, said the company's stock of pipes had been destroyed after flames spread towards its facility.

Donkor said workers attempted to move products away from the approaching fire using a forklift but were unable to save the entire stock.

He also said fire hydrants at the company's facility did not have water when the emergency occurred, forcing the company to contact Ghana Water for assistance.

The monetary value of the company's losses has not yet been officially established.

EIGHT PEOPLE TREATED AFTER FIRE

The National Ambulance Service has meanwhile confirmed treating eight casualties following the fire.

According to the service, emergency medical personnel responded to the incident as firefighting operations continued.

Earlier reports suggested possible fatalities, including reports involving children. However, some of those accounts were based on eyewitness information and had not been formally confirmed by the relevant emergency authorities at the time they emerged.

VNTV is therefore treating casualty information separately from unverified eyewitness reports until authorities provide a final official account.

FIRE ALSO DISRUPTED ELECTRICITY SUPPLY

The effects of the incident extended beyond the immediate fire scene.

The Electricity Company of Ghana said the blaze near its Substation D at Avenor caused electricity interruptions across several communities in Accra.

Areas affected included North Industrial Area, North Kaneshie, Tesano, Abeka Junction, Alajo Junction and surrounding communities.

ECG said engineers were working to rectify the problem and restore electricity supply.

The proximity of the fire to electricity infrastructure added another layer of concern during the emergency response.

OFFICIAL CAUSE REMAINS UNKNOWN

Despite the successful containment of the blaze, authorities have not announced an official cause.

Some eyewitness accounts have circulated suggesting possible explanations for how the fire began. Those accounts have not been established by the Ghana National Fire Service and should not be treated as the official cause of the incident.

The Fire Service is expected to investigate the origin and circumstances of the blaze after firefighting operations are completed.

A final assessment will also be needed to establish the full extent of property losses and determine whether additional casualties occurred.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

Attention is now expected to shift from emergency containment to investigation, damage assessment and recovery.

Authorities will need to establish where the fire originated, how it spread through the area and whether building arrangements or access restrictions affected the emergency response.

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly has also indicated that people occupying unauthorised structures in the affected area will not be permitted to resettle there after evacuation.

For businesses affected by the blaze, the next phase will involve assessing losses and determining what can be salvaged.

VNTV will update this report when the Ghana National Fire Service releases its official findings on the cause of the fire and when authorities provide a final casualty and damage assessment.