Traders, victims recount losses in Circle Tip Toe Lane fire

An early morning fire that ravaged several wooden shops and structures at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Tip Toe Lane market has left many victims distraught and devastated.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, saw traders, mostly phone dealers and accessories sellers, caterers, and water vendors, helplessly watch as their properties were razed, with years of toil and hard work lost within minutes.

No casualties recorded during Tip Toe Lane market fire – GNFS PRO

A visit to the scene by GhanaWeb’s Mandy Agyemang revealed victims with despair and hopelessness in their eyes, some in tears, while others tried every possible means to salvage what remained of their burnt properties.

In interviews with some of the affected victims, they lamented their losses and voiced deep concern about how they would rebuild their lives after the tragedy.

One of the traders, a Nigerian woman who said she has lived in Ghana for 10 years, could barely speak through her tears. She revealed that her shop was completely destroyed, leaving only the dress she was wearing at the time as her sole possession.

“I sell laundry. I sell everything. Everything has become dust. It's only this cloth that is on my body [left]. Oh Jesus! All of my labor. I've been here for 10 years. This is my 10 years in Ghana. I don't really know how the fire started,” she said, tears streaming down her face.

Another affected trader, also Nigerian and a food vendor at the market, expressed frustration and anger at the fire personnel, whom he accused of responding slowly.

According to him, the fire could have been extinguished sooner, but the first fire tender to arrive at the scene was not functioning. He revealed that their shops, along with the tools for their cooking business, had been destroyed.

“The fire tender was not working, so they had to call one from different branches… My shop is inside [the market] and it’s burnt to ashes. We cook food,” he lamented.

Several shops gutted by fire behind VVIP station at Kwame Nkrumah Circle

As of the time of filing this report, NADMO officials, personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), police officers, and other state agencies had thronged the area to assess the situation and ensure the safety of affected

persons.

See the video below:

"I sell laundry. I sell everything. Everything has become dust. It's only this cloth that is on my body [left].” - Affected victim recounts losses in Circle Tip Toe Lane fire

Read more here: https://t.co/LDFwmLiob6#ghanaweb#ghanawebtv pic.twitter.com/YpOkV8j3ib

— GhanaWeb (@TheGhanaWeb) January 20, 2026

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