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A massive fire has razed the newly opened China City Mall at Santasi in Kumasi, destroying the entire structure and goods worth thousands of cedis. The inferno, which started on Thursday, October 30, engulfed the commercial facility, leaving in its wake a scene of heavy damage and thick smoke visible from several metres away. Officials from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) say the cause of the fire is yet to be determined, but preliminary reports suggest it may have started from the rear section of the building before spreading rapidly throughout the mall. “We received a distress call about the fire and dispatched two fire tenders to the scene immediately. Our men have been working tirelessly to contain the blaze,” a GNFS officer told MyJoyOnline at the scene. Despite the firefighters’ efforts, the fire consumed the entire building, which housed various shops dealing in home accessories, electronics, and groceries. No casualties have been reported so far, according to officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), who were also on-site to assist with recovery efforts. The mall, which opened earlier in 2025, had become a popular shopping destination for residents of Kumasi and surrounding communities. Eyewitnesses say the fire spread too quickly for most traders to salvage their goods. “It was frightening. Within minutes, the whole place was burning,” one shop attendant recounted. The GNFS has since launched investigations to determine the exact cause of the fire and assess the extent of the damage. This incident adds to the growing number of market and commercial property fires recorded across major cities in Ghana in recent months, raising renewed concerns about fire safety compliance and emergency preparedness in business facilities.
