Kumasi: Fire Destroys 12 Cars, 5 Auto Mechanic Shops

Twelve vehicles and five auto mechanic shops have been razed down in a fire outbreak at Dichemso in the Kumasi metropolis in the Ashanti Region.

Mini buses, salon cars, fitting equipment and vehicle spare parts are among properties burnt into ashes that run into thousands of Ghana cedis on the Dichemso-Krofrom highway in the early hours of Thursday morning.

According to an eyewitness, the fire started around 2am on Thursday but attempts by residents to put out the fire proved futile.

“When the fire started we (residents) mobilised ourselves to put out the fire, which started at one shop, with the pouring of water but we couldn’t so it spread to the other shops where the vehicles were packed,” he said.

One of the owners whose shop got burnt, Abdul Raman, told the reporter that he was at home when he had a call that his shop was on fire and quickly rushed to the scene.

“I have lost two machines and other car spare parts which cost about GHC3,000. Five Nissan mini buses and one Toyota Corolla taxi cap which had been brought to me for repairs have all been burn,” he wept.

Another fire victim said, “I was on my way to the mosque in the morning when I got a phone call from a colleague asking me to rush to our working place because my shop was on fire. When I got here my shop was on fire.”

Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) branch at the Manhyia Palace managed to put out the fire after about an hour.