The burnt Kumasi market
DOZENS OF stores, mainly wooden structures, at the Kumasi Central Market, have been turned into ashes after a severe fire outbreak ravaged parts of the market in the early hours of Sunday.
Traders were seen wailing uncontrollably as they watched while the ferocious fire consumed their goods.
The blaze started around 1:00am at the ‘18 mu’ also called ‘foss line’ section of the market, where second hand clothes dealers mainly operate. It happened when the city was quiet and with swift speed as it flattened everything in its path.
The outbreak comes in the wake of series of fires at the country’s markets including Kantamanto, Makola Number 2, and Dome all in Accra.
Fire-fighters had tough time trying to contain the flames that lasted for close to 12 hours as military and police personnel cordoned off the area to prevent unscrupulous persons and looters from stealing wares of the victims.
Even though the cause of the fire remains unknown and has become a subject of investigation, some traders said they suspected the fire to have been sparked by a power surge.
It is the second fire outbreak occurring this year alone at the biggest market in the Garden City.
Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) quickly responded to a distress call to help, but poor planning of the place prevented the fire-fighters from getting close to the scene to douse the blaze in time.
Phillip Arhin Mensah, of the GNFS, lamented to the press that poor planning at the market thwarted the efforts of the fire-fighters as they struggled to get close to the scene.
He also bemoaned the fact that most fire hydrants in the city had been built on and this, among other challenges, made things extremely difficult for his men in their attempt to battle the inferno.
Mr. Mensah said despite the difficulty, the fire-fighters managed to control the main fire around 3:30am and as at the time of filing this report on Sunday afternoon, the firemen were still dealing with pockets of fires at the place. Smokes were still billowing from the market.
He could not readily pinpoint what caused the fire, saying that it was too early for the GNFS to come into conclusion with regard to the cause of the inferno.
He promised his men would investigate the cause of the fire.
Fire outbreaks, especially at markets, have suddenly become the order of the day in the country in recent times.
Several markets and homes in the country have been gutted by infernos. Most of the fires have destroyed property and in some cases claimed human lives.
The President Mahama-led administration, which seemed overwhelmed about the situation, is suspecting arson and has consequently called for foreign help to unravel the cause of the fires in the country.
Currently there are American investigators in the country probing the recent Makola No2 market at Agbogbloshie in Accra where the whole market was razed down.
The Kantanmanto market, popularly known for the sale of second hand clothing, had earlier been burnt to ashes.
When DAILY GUIDE visited the Kumasi market fire scene yesterday morning, hundreds of people, most of whom were traders who had been affected by the fire disaster, had gathered at the place stretching their necks to see what was happening.
Some of these affected traders were seen shedding uncontrollable tears as they watched in awe while their valuable source of livelihood got destroyed by the blaze.
The Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Samuel Yaw Adusei, who visited the place to console the affected traders, said he was not pleased with the rampant fire outbreaks notably at market places in the country.
He called for serious investigations to be undertaken to determine what caused the inferno.
The Deputy Minister admonished the affected traders to calm down even in the face of the heavy calamity that had hit them, noting that the government was firmly behind them.
A heavy police presence was seen at the place and the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Augustine Gyenning said his men were at the place to deal with the looters.
According to him, miscreants often rushed to disaster scenes, just to cash in on the situation with the evil intention of stealing the goods, stressing that the police presence was to prevent looting and lawlessness at the disaster scene.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr. & Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi