A devastating fire swept through the Kwadaso main market in Kumasi in the Ashanti region capital early Thursday morning, destroying at least 40 shops and leaving traders in distress and state of shock.
The blaze, which started around midnight, was brought under control by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) just before 6am.
However, the damage had already been done, with items including foodstuff, cooking oil, confectionaries, wax prints, and electrical appliances destroyed.
Affected traders rushed to the scene to assess their losses, with many expressing concerns about their livelihoods.
“I sell electrical appliances here. I received a distress call at dawn and rushed over, only to find that all my wares had been destroyed. It’s going to be tough if I don’t get urgent assistance,” one victim said.
The acting queen of the market, Akosua Agyekumwaa, described the loss as “terrible” and appealed for intervention from the president and their Member of Parliament. “Our livelihoods have been heavily affected,” she added.
Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire, according to S.O2 Opoku Michael, a fire officer attached to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).
The incident has left many traders in a state of uncertainty, with hopes for swift assistance to get back on their feet.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
