Lapaz Market Fire Destroys Textile Shop, Owner Hospitalized

A fire ravaged a textile shop at Lapaz Market in Accra on Sunday, April 27, leaving its owner hospitalized after she collapsed upon witnessing the destruction of her livelihood.

The blaze, which erupted on the building’s top floor, gutted bedding materials and merchandise valued at millions of cedis, reducing the shop to ruins.

The distraught owner, whose name has not been disclosed, was rushed to Lapaz Community Hospital after fainting from shock as flames engulfed her business. Witnesses described her profound distress at seeing years of work destroyed within moments. Her mother, a co-owner of the shop, recounted being alerted by her grandchild to the fire while on the ground floor, enabling them to swiftly notify authorities.

Firefighters from the Abelenkpe branch of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) responded promptly, containing the fire and preventing it from spreading to adjacent shops. ADO I Emmanuel Akwetey, GNFS Operations Officer, confirmed the cause remains undetermined but assured a thorough investigation. “Our teams managed to limit the damage, and we will invite the owner for further discussions once our inquiry concludes,” Akwetey stated.

The incident has drawn an outpouring of community support for the affected family, with neighbors and market traders expressing hope for the owner’s recovery. Meanwhile, the GNFS continues to assess the site, emphasizing the importance of fire safety protocols in densely populated commercial areas.

As investigations proceed, the tragedy underscores the vulnerability of small businesses to sudden disasters, reigniting calls for enhanced emergency preparedness in Ghana’s markets. For now, the shop owner’s future hangs in the balance, her resilience tested amid the ashes of her enterprise.