Fire destroyed several shops at the Kumasi Central Market near Aboabo Station on 9 October 2026, with residents fighting the flames before fire crews arrived.
Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) personnel later took over at the scene, according to footage aired by Kumasi radio station Zuria FM and shared online. Videos show the fire tearing through a row of shops while traders carried out what goods they could reach.
The cause of the fire is not yet known. The fire service has not given a figure for the number of shops destroyed, the value of goods lost or whether anyone was hurt.
For traders, the timing is harsh. Many stock goods on credit, and a fire wipes out both their wares and their means of repaying suppliers.
The Kumasi Central Market, opened in 1924 and among the largest open-air markets in West Africa, has burned repeatedly. About 50 shops were destroyed on 30 July 2020, and more than 20 in April 2021, when the Ashanti Regional fire command blamed illegal and unprotected electrical wiring. Fire officers have also pointed to cooking with gas cylinders and stoves inside the market, and to the burning of rubbish, as recurring risks.
Kumasi has had other large market fires this year. In January 2026, more than 100 wooden and metal stalls burned at Anloga Market, the city’s second major fire in 24 hours. The fire service said congestion and poor stall layout had hampered firefighting there.
The GNFS is expected to begin investigating the cause once the fire is fully put out.
