The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has confirmed that unattended cooking was the cause of the fire that razed a cluster of commercial shops selling assorted drinks at Achimota Abofu, near the Shell Filling Station, on Sunday, November 9.
According to the Accra Regional Fire Commander, ACFO Rashid Kwame Nisawu, the blaze started from one of the containers after an occupant left soup on fire and went to church.
“The fire started from one of the containers, and it’s a straightforward story — somebody left soup on fire and went to church. I don’t want to mention the person’s name for security reasons,” ACFO Nisawu said in an interview on Channel One Newsroom with Umaru Sanda Amadu.
Three fire tenders from the Anyaa, National Headquarters, and Legon Fire Stations were dispatched to the scene and managed to bring the situation under control.
ACFO Nisawu expressed concern over the recurring issue of traders cooking in markets and commercial areas despite repeated warnings from the Fire Service.
“These things we have been saying — that they should not be cooking in the markets and shops — some of them have not been listening to the advice, and that is what has happened,” he stressed.
He further highlighted challenges with accessibility to certain commercial areas, which often hinders firefighting efforts, and called on facility owners to comply with fire safety regulations, including the installation and maintenance of hydrants, to prevent similar incidents in the future.
 has confirmed that unattended cooking was the cause of the fire that razed a cluster of commercial shops selling assorted drinks at Achimota Abofu, near the Shell Filling Station, on Sunday, November 9.){kind=link}