Kumasi Adum: Fire razes shops, destroying wares worth millions of cedis; traders blame erratic power supply

A devastating fire has gutted several shops and destroyed wares worth thousands of Ghana cedis at Kumasi Adum in the Ashanti Region.

Traders suspect the fire was caused by erratic power supply at the building housing Pat Thomas Phone Shop and other businesses.

The blaze is believed to have started around 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, following consistent power cuts in the area.

Witnesses  say the lights had been going on and off throughout the morning before smoke was seen billowing from the structure.

OTEC News Reporter Asare Diana, who visited the scene, said two fire tenders were deployed to douse the flames.

Firefighters battled the blaze for hours to prevent it from spreading to adjacent buildings.

She noted that shop owners nearby were frantically removing their wares to prevent them from burning.

 Some traders wept as they watched goods they had stocked for months go up in smoke.

Security agencies, including police and officials from the National Disaster Management Organization, NADMO, were at the scene to maintain order and assess the extent of damage.

 No casualties have been reported so far.

The Ghana National Fire Service is yet to establish the exact cause of the fire, but traders are calling on the Electricity Company of Ghana to address the unstable power supply in the area to prevent future occurrences.

Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Jacob Agyenim Boatneg