Why Fire Service had a tough time dousing ravaging fire at Makola

• Fire broke out at some parts of the Makola market, Monday

• Several goods and monies have been lost

• The GNFS used several hours in fighting the fire

On Monday, July 5, 2021, over 500 shops opposite the Makola shopping mall were razed down by fire.

According to the Head of Public Relations of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Ellis Robinson Okoe, his personnel who were at the fire disaster scene had a tough time fighting the inferno.

He explained that the accessibility of the 3 storey-building was one of the major challenges the GNFS team faced on the grounds.

Ellis Robinson Okoe also wondered how the property owner(s) got the permit to erect such a building without having multiple entries and exit points.

“The main challenge we are having is how to access the building but now we have been able to do that. There is no proper access to the place and as you can see, only one entry and exit to the place and it is quite disturbing. I don’t know how they were granted permit to build,” he told the media.

More than 9 tenders were at the fire disaster scene to quench the ravaging fire. Other means, such as the use of fire cranes were used on the second and third floors of the affected building to stop further burns.

He explained that the reason the fire service delayed a bit was the unavailability of workable fire tenders at the central business district fire service.

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