Accra: A fire outbreak has destroyed six shops at Nogora Junction, including the popular Nogora Store, near the Ho Technical University (HTU), destroying properties worth thousands of cedis. The incident, which occurred between 1700 and 1730 hours on Wednesday, August 13, gutted a cosmetics shop, food joints, a drinking spot, and other businesses.
According to Ghana News Agency, an eyewitness, Mr. Maxwell Adjetey, a chef, reported that smoke was first noticed coming from the rear of one of the stores. 'We don't know what exactly caused the fire. We quickly called the Fire Service. The fire seemed to have started in the kitchen of one of the shops, but no one could get inside,' he recounted. 'The Fire Service arrived promptly and worked to contain the blaze, but by then, six shops were already engulfed.'
Another witness mentioned they had just closed for the day and were preparing to go home when they saw flames and decided to stay and help. One distraught shop owner, visibly shaken, struggled to speak. 'My shop is gone - everything. Ice chest, tables, chairs, showcase, plates - all burnt. I even took a loan just today,' she lamented. She explained that she had gone home after work, leaving her husband to finish packing some wood, when he called to say there was a fire. By the time she returned, everything was destroyed. Several other affected owners expressed deep frustration over their losses.
Divisional Officer Grade II (DO II) Mr. Seth Tey, Ho Municipal Fire Commander, told GNA that the blaze took about two hours to bring under control due to its intensity and the combustible nature of materials in the shops. 'We ran two deliveries and worked as quickly as possible, but the fire was very intense. When we got to the scene, electricity was still on, so we had to call ECG to cut the power before using water,' he said. Mr. Tey urged the public to allow fire officers to do their work without interference. 'We are professionals. At every fire scene, we beg people to give us space. The situation is already risky for us, and interference can put lives in further danger,' he cautioned. He added that the cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and investigations are ongoing.
