Raging Fire Destroys Suame Garages in Ashanti Region
A devastating fire has swept through parts of Suame Garages in the Ashanti Region, leaving workshops and spare parts stores in ruins and causing significant losses for artisans and traders in the area.
The fire broke out late on Friday, January 31, 2025, and quickly engulfed properties worth millions of cedis, with suspicions pointing towards an electrical fault as the possible cause of the inferno. The affected individuals are now faced with the daunting task of rebuilding their businesses from scratch.
Despite the efforts of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) to contain the flames, some of those impacted have expressed dissatisfaction with the response, believing that a quicker reaction could have lessened the extent of the damage.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, blame has been placed on the Ghana National Association of Garages for not having a fire station within the vicinity. Artisans have emphasized the necessity of having a dedicated fire service nearby, given the presence of highly flammable materials and equipment in the area.
As the affected traders and artisans come to terms with their losses, there are growing calls for improved fire safety measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future at Suame Garages, one of the largest automotive repair hubs in Ghana.
In the past month, several other fire outbreaks have disrupted economic activities in the country, including incidents at Kantamanto market, Tamale Timber market, and Techiman market. It is evident that urgent steps need to be taken to enhance fire prevention and response capabilities across various sectors to safeguard lives and livelihoods.
