A devastating fire broke out on Wednesday night behind the Astonia Lodge Annexe in Ahodwo, Kumasi, reducing several wooden structures to ashes and displacing hundreds of residents.

The blaze, which started around 9:00 p.m., swept through a densely populated area of makeshift homes and container shops, destroying personal belongings, properties, and livelihoods.

Many residents were left with nothing as the flames spread rapidly, giving them little time to salvage their possessions.

Firefighters from the Kumasi Metro office of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), supported by nearby stations, responded swiftly to the emergency.

According to DO3 Peter Addai, the Public Relations Officer of the GNFS in the Ashanti Region, the intensity of the fire required the deployment of three additional fire tenders.

Fire crews battled the flames for over two hours, eventually bringing it under control at about 11:18 p.m. The fire was fully extinguished after midnight.

Fortunately, no casualties were reported.

However, for the many affected, the damage was total. “I attempted to enter my room to pick up some of my items, but I was prevented by some neighbours,” one distraught resident recounted. He had rushed back to the scene after hearing about the fire, only to find his home already engulfed in flames.

Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing, as authorities work to determine what sparked the inferno that has left scores of people homeless and without livelihoods.

Emergency services and local authorities are expected to begin assessments and provide support to victims in the coming days.