A devastating fire has gutted the Fobest Shopping Centre, popularly known as the Obuasi China Mall, destroying several shops and leaving traders counting losses running into millions of Ghana cedis.
The fire broke out in the early hours of Tuesday, May 19, at Bogobiri in Obuasi.
According to eyewitnesses, the blaze started around 1:00 a.m. in a shop located at the rear section of the complex before spreading to adjoining structures. More than seven shops were destroyed, with goods and properties reduced to ashes.
One of the affected traders, a mechanic shop owner, said he had recently stocked his shop with merchandise worth more than GH¢900,000.
“Everything is gone. I have lost my entire investment,” he lamented.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Obuasi, Faustilove Appiah Kannin, visited the scene to commiserate with affected traders and assess the extent of the damage.
During her visit, Madam Appiah Kannin expressed sympathy to the victims and assured them of the Assembly’s support. She also stated that a thorough investigation would be conducted to determine the cause of the fire.
“We will ensure that the cause of the fire is properly investigated. If there is any act of negligence or criminality, the perpetrators will be dealt with according to the law,” she warned.
Residents and eyewitnesses have given differing accounts of the possible cause of the fire. While some suspect an electrical fault within the shopping centre, others allege that unknown persons may have deliberately started the blaze in a shop behind the facility.
Officials of the Ghana National Fire Service and other safety authorities are yet to issue an official report as investigations continue.
Eyewitnesses, however, commended personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service and the AngloGold Ashanti Fire Unit for their swift response, noting that their intervention prevented the blaze from spreading to other parts of the enclave and nearby properties.
The Presiding Member of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly, David Odoom, together with some Assembly Members and officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation, also visited the scene to sympathise with the victims.
The incident has renewed concerns over fire safety compliance and emergency preparedness in major commercial centres within the municipality.
