Five individuals have been arrested by police in the Ashanti Region following an alleged assault on fire officers who were responding to a fire outbreak at the Racecourse Market on Monday, March 11, 2024.
The altercation resulted in one of the fire officers sustaining injuries.
The suspects reportedly accused the fire service personnel of delayed response, which led them to retaliate by pelting stones.
The fire, which started around 1 am on Monday, engulfed a section of the Racecourse Market where millers and traders of foodstuffs and ingredients operated.
Approximately 180 container shops were affected, resulting in significant damage. Many traders were unable to salvage their belongings, and over twenty milling machines were destroyed in the blaze. The affected individuals are now assessing their losses.
Fire Commander for the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Fire Station, D.O 3 Simon Ben Boadu, attributed the fire’s rapid spread to the attack on the fire crew.
“Our preliminary investigations revealed that the fire started from one of the corn mills, and because the shops are close, it spread to other shops, we have counted about 180 shops.
“Investigations are still ongoing. We are going to pursue this to the latter. Whatever happens to them [arrested suspects] will, be a deterrent to others, that the attack on firemen must stop. The attack was a result they believe that we delayed in getting to the scene, and the spread of the fire was a result of the congested nature of the market.”