The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has commended the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) for its swift and professional response to Thursday’s fire that destroyed a warehouse within the DTRT Apparel enclave, popularly known as the Adjaben enclave in Accra.
The warehouse, which produced carpets, curtains and other related items, was gutted in the late afternoon blaze, leading to the loss of property worth millions of cedis.
Fire officers, however, managed to contain the flames and prevent them from spreading to adjoining buildings, including the main DTRT production facility.
During a working visit to the site on Friday, October 3, 2025, Mrs Ofosu-Adjare received a detailed briefing from fire officers and described their timely action as the key factor that averted a larger disaster. She expressed relief that no casualties were recorded. “Money and property can be replaced, but human lives are irreplaceable,” she said.
The minister stated that the government would await the official GNFS investigation report to establish the cause of the fire and guide remedial and preventive measures. She also emphasised the importance of ensuring unobstructed access routes for fire tenders in markets and industrial enclaves.
“In this case, unhindered access allowed fire personnel to act swiftly, thereby containing the blaze,” she noted.
Mrs Ofosu-Adjare confirmed that she had met with the property owner but said it was premature to disclose details of their discussions. She explained that her immediate focus, as directed by President John Dramani Mahama, was to show empathy, ensure the Fire Service completed its work, and assure affected businesses of the government’s support.
After inspecting the gutted warehouse, the minister visited DTRT workers to check on their welfare and provided them with nose masks to protect against smoke still lingering at the site.
She reiterated the government’s commitment to work with stakeholders to strengthen safety standards across industrial enclaves and marketplaces to prevent such incidents in the future.