Generator Fire Consumes Shops At Rawlings Park

Some traders and kayayis (head potters) looking at the burned generators and items at the scene

A generator fire outbreak at Rawlings Park in Accra yesterday burned four shops, destroying goods running into several thousands of Ghana cedis during power outage (dumsor).

The incident, according to eyewitnesses' accounts, started at about 11am on Monday when fuel that began leaking out of one generator, reportedly caught fire and ran through eleven other generators.

The affected stores, located on the ground floor of the Sweet Sisters Building which houses several other stores, had most of their goods destroyed.

Some of the generators sighted by DAILY GUIDE at the scene were burned beyond repairs and therefore could not be identified as to which brands they were.

Trading activities were brought to a temporary halt in and around the area as most vendors thronged the place to sympathize with their affected colleagues.

Federick Noah, a 35-year-old caretaker of one of the burned stores – Kwame Darkpa Enterprise, dealers in shoes and bags – who was reportedly called upon initially by one of the traders to put out the fire, sustained minor burns on his hands.

Some of the traders blamed the President John Dramani Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) government for not being able to resolve the energy crisis.

'I am blaming government because we are shop owners who are meeting all our tax obligations and it is left to the government to reciprocate this by making sure that we have power to do our business,' said Isaac Tetteh Arthur, owner of one of the burned stores – Ralchelless Enterprises – which deals in cosmetic products.

He told DAILY GUIDE that 'This is not the first time this (fire outbreak) has happened.'

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BY Melvin Tarlue