A 70-year-old woman died and several properties were destroyed after a fire swept through part of Suame Magazine in the Ashanti Region in the early hours of Saturday, the regional command of the Ghana National Fire Service said.

The commercial fire broke out at Zone 18 near the garages area of Suame Magazine in Kumasi, one of the country’s largest industrial and automobile repair hubs.

According to the fire service, personnel from Breman and Komfo Anokye fire stations were dispatched after a distress call was received at about 3:22 am reporting a fire involving structures, vehicles and vehicle spare parts.

Firefighters arrived at the scene minutes later and found the blaze had already spread extensively, engulfing three wooden structures, three metal containers, four vehicles and nine DAF vehicle engines.

Emergency responders deployed offensive and defensive firefighting operations and brought the fire under control within about 25 minutes before fully extinguishing it later using water and foam, authorities said.

The victim, identified as Bawama Naya, was trapped in the blaze and died at the scene. Her body was handed over to police for preservation and further investigations.

Fire officials said some vehicles were saved from destruction through the intervention of firefighters, including three Sprinter buses, a Smiling Benz bus and an Opanka bus.

Authorities said the cause of the fire remained under investigation.

Fire outbreaks in commercial and industrial centres continue to pose challenges in Ghana, with officials frequently urging businesses and operators to comply with fire safety measures to reduce the risk of loss of life and property.