A devastating fire has gutted the newly opened China City Mall at Santasi in Kumasi, reducing the entire structure to ashes and destroying goods valued at thousands of cedis.
The blaze, which erupted on Thursday, October 30, spread rapidly through the commercial facility, sending thick plumes of smoke into the sky and causing panic among nearby residents and traders.
Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) responded swiftly after receiving an emergency call, deploying two fire tenders to the scene. According to a GNFS officer who spoke to MyJoyOnline, the cause of the fire remains unknown, though early reports indicate it may have started from the back of the building before engulfing the entire mall.
“Our team arrived as soon as we received the alert and worked tirelessly to control the situation,” the officer said.
Despite their efforts, the inferno consumed the entire shopping complex, which contained shops selling electronics, groceries, and home goods. Officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), who also arrived on-site, confirmed that there were no fatalities.
The mall, which opened earlier this year, had quickly become a popular retail hub for residents of Kumasi and nearby towns. However, eyewitnesses say the fire spread too fast for traders to recover their goods. “It was terrifying—within a short time, everything was gone,” one worker recounted.
The GNFS has begun a detailed investigation to determine the cause of the blaze and evaluate the extent of the destruction. The incident adds to a series of recent fire outbreaks at commercial properties across Ghana, prompting renewed calls for stronger fire safety enforcement and improved emergency response systems.
