A fire that broke out in the early hours of Thursday, October 1, 2026, at Avenor in Accra’s North Industrial Area has destroyed the entire pipe stock of plastics manufacturer Duraplast Ghana, with the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) deploying eight fire tenders to confine the blaze.
The fire started in the Kofikrom area near the Avenor junction, an enclave behind the railway line crowded with wooden kiosks, and spread to the Duraplast premises. Thick black smoke was visible across parts of Accra for hours.
Reports that two people, including a two-week-old baby, died in the incident have circulated since the morning. However, the GNFS says deaths have not been confirmed, and emergency personnel were still working at the scene at the time of reporting.
How the Avenor fire started
According to GNFS Head of Public Relations, DO1 Emmanuel Bonney, the fire started in a wooden structure behind an ECG office before spreading to the Duraplast company. It intensified because of stored materials with hydrocarbon properties.
An eyewitness, identified as Mohammed, told Citi Newsroom that a gas cylinder exploded after a woman cooking for her children stepped out and one of the children turned up the gas. This account has not been officially confirmed.
Duraplast Marketing Manager Emmanuel Donkor also blamed the illegal structures behind the company. “The challenge currently here is the illegal structures here; that is where the fire started from,” he told MyJoyOnline.
GNFS response to the North Industrial Area fire
Graphic Online reports that a distress call reached the fire service at 7:18am and firefighters arrived at 7:20am. The fire was brought under control by about 11:00am.
Firefighters struggled to reach the base of the fire because of the many wooden kiosks in the area, where goat and cattle traders operate. The GNFS demolished some structures to create access for its equipment and stop the flames from spreading to other factories.
“We have confined the fire to prevent it from spreading further to the main factory or warehouse in the area,” DO1 Bonney said. Police helped with crowd control and soldiers from the Ghana Armed Forces also assisted.
Duraplast fire losses: “All our pipes have been destroyed”
Duraplast says it has lost its entire stock of pipes. “Enormous, all our stock. Our pipes stock is gone. All our pipes have been destroyed,” Mr Donkor said.
He questioned the speed of the initial response, saying about two fire tenders arrived first and could not control the fire. “If they had come 30 minutes or 20 minutes before, we could have just stopped the fire there and then,” he said, adding that the company’s own hydrants were also empty.
The empty hydrants echo a recent warning from the fire service, which said only 5 of 30 fire hydrants were working in Accra’s Ministries enclave.
Avenor fire at a glance: what is confirmed and what is not
- Location: Kofikrom, Avenor junction, North Industrial Area, Accra
- Date: Thursday, October 1, 2026, early morning
- Distress call: 7:18am; firefighters on site at 7:20am (Graphic Online)
- Fire tenders deployed: Eight, according to GNFS PRO Emmanuel Bonney
- Under control: Around 11:00am
- Losses: Duraplast’s entire pipe stock, plus kiosks used by livestock traders
- Deaths: Two reported, including a baby — not confirmed by GNFS
- Injuries: One civilian reportedly hurt during rescue efforts (GhanaWeb)
What the Avenor fire means for traders and businesses
Livestock traders and kiosk owners at Kofikrom have lost structures and goods, and some lost structures when the GNFS cleared the area for access.
For Duraplast, the loss of its pipe inventory could affect supply to customers in the short term. The company has not yet given a cash value for the damage.
The incident also renews concerns about unauthorised structures close to industrial facilities, poor access roads and non-working hydrants in Accra.
What happens next
The GNFS says the cause, the full extent of damage and any casualties will be established after its operations on site. Fire investigators are expected to issue a report.
Questions are also likely about the clearing of illegal structures around the North Industrial Area and the state of fire hydrants at industrial sites.
Key details at a glance
- Fire broke out early on October 1, 2026, at Kofikrom, Avenor, in Accra’s North Industrial Area.
- It started in a wooden structure behind an ECG office and spread to Duraplast Ghana.
- GNFS deployed eight fire tenders and demolished kiosks to reach the fire.
- The fire was brought under control around 11:00am.
- Duraplast says its entire pipe stock has been destroyed.
- Reports of two deaths, including a baby, have not been confirmed by GNFS.
- Police and soldiers assisted at the scene.
FAQs
What caused the Avenor fire in Accra?
GNFS says the fire started in a wooden structure behind an ECG office and spread to Duraplast. An eyewitness blamed a gas cylinder explosion, but the official cause is still under investigation.
Did anyone die in the Duraplast fire?
Reports say two people, including a two-week-old baby, may have died. The GNFS says no deaths have been confirmed yet.
Where is the Avenor fire?
The fire is at Kofikrom near the Avenor junction in Accra’s North Industrial Area, behind the railway line.
The Avenor fire has wiped out Duraplast’s pipe stock and destroyed kiosks in the Kofikrom area, with the GNFS confining the blaze after hours of work. Casualties and the exact cause are yet to be officially confirmed. Read the Graphic Online report on the GNFS response for the official timeline.
