Accra: The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) is currently conducting an investigation into the cause of a fire outbreak that occurred at the Accra Tourist Information Centre in the early hours of Monday, August 4. Despite strong winds that fueled the blaze, the GNFS managed to contain the fire, which destroyed the first floor of the building and its contents, but thankfully no injuries were reported.

According to Ghana News Agency, the fire was reported at precisely 0102 hours, prompting the first fire engine from the National Headquarters to arrive at the scene by 0104 hours. The fire was already fully developed and spreading rapidly at that time. In response, five additional fire appliances were dispatched from various stations, including Flagstaff House, Circle, Accra City, Ministries Fire Stations, and the Rapid Intervention Vehicle (RIV) from Headquarters, to aid in the firefighting operations.

The GNFS reported that while the blaze was brought under control by 0332 hours, intensive firefighting efforts continued until 0635 hours to ensure the flames were completely extinguished and to prevent further spread to neighboring properties. Although the first floor was entirely consumed, the ground floor and about eight offices, including the East Wing section, were successfully salvaged.

The fire also led to the destruction of the well-known Rockz Waakye branch, a popular ‘waakye’ joint in the city owned by Reggie Rockstone, a pioneering figure in hip-life music. The fire reportedly originated from the kitchen area of Rockz Waakye and spread quickly. Following the incident, Reggie Rockstone expressed his gratitude on Instagram for the safety of all workers, acknowledging the protection over them and the love shown by the community. He assured that while the physical damage was significant, all individuals were unharmed.