Fire yesterday gutted part of the Tema Timber Market destroying wood products and property worth several thousands of Cedis.
An eye witness, John M. Barnes, an executive of the Timber Sellers Association, said the fire that started around 11am from smoldering sawdust at a nearby slum engulfed some shops including three housing machines used to plane wood.
He said the section of the slum destroyed by the fire served as dwelling places for about 300 people.
Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service had a tough time fighting the inferno whose intensity was for a while sustained by burning inflammable chemicals from some of the shops.
ACFO Osafo Affum, National Public Relations Officer of GNFS, said the fire had destroyed most of the property by the time they got to the scene but they managed to bring the situation under control after a while.
He urged residents to always call the fire service as soon as fire occurred and not to wait till it was too late.
The Metropolitan Chief Executive of Tema, Mr Yohanne Armah Ashitey, visited the scene to console victims and inspect the extent of damage caused.
He said the Tema Metropolitan Assembly in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Organisation will provide relief items for those affected.
He added that the TMA would support the GNFS to educate residents on ways to prevent fires and reduce its destructive effect.
FROM GODFRED BLAY GIBBAH, TEMA
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