One person has been confirmed dead, while several others have sustained severe burns following a fire outbreak at the Abotaose Market in the Biakoye District of the Oti Region.
The incident occurred at about 2 p.m. on Saturday and reportedly started after a premix fuel storage facility allegedly came into contact with a household fire.
The flames quickly spread to parts of the market, destroying a number of structures and leaving several people injured.
One of the victims, who was reportedly sleeping in a nearby shed when the fire started, became trapped in the flames and suffered severe burns.
He was rushed to the Worawora Hospital for emergency treatment but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Several other victims who sustained varying degrees of burns were also transported to the hospital, where they are currently receiving medical attention.
The exact cause of the fire has not yet been officially established, as investigations continue.
However, the Acting District Fire Officer for Biakoye, ADOI Desmond Addo, told Citi News that preliminary findings suggest that the storage of premix fuel at the market may have contributed to the outbreak.
The fire was eventually brought under control with assistance from community volunteers.
Meanwhile, concerns have been raised about the delay in the arrival of professional firefighters at the scene.
Reports indicate that firefighters had to travel from Dambai and Kpando to reach the affected community, raising questions about emergency response capacity in the area.
Authorities are expected to continue investigations into the incident and assess the extent of the damage caused by the fire.
