By Naa Shormei Odonkor/Muyid Deen Sulema
Kumasi, Jan. 24, GNA – The swift response by the personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), averted a fire disaster at the Kejetia market in Kumasi, on Friday dawn.
The fire was said to have started around 0520 hours on Friday, in one of the 25 stretches of shops on the second floor of the market.
Two of the shops, which contained mother care items and jeans wears, were however, destroyed in the blaze.
Divisional Officer (DO II), Mr Peter Addai, the Public Relations Officer of the Ashanti Regional Fire Command, told the Ghana News Agency that, officers arrived at the scene after six minutes of receiving a distress call from the market.
He said the fire was brought under control at 0547 hours and completely extinguished at 0558 hours using 26 six kilogrammes (kg) of dry chemical powder extinguishers, two five kg of CO2 fire extinguishers and water through the hose reel.
He mentioned the stores which were affected by the fire as S-1785 and S-1786 which were mother care items and jeans wear stores
Mr Addai said there were no injuries or fatalities caused by the fire and that the GNFS was investigating the cause of the fire outbreak.
An eyewitness to the incident told the Ghana News Agency in an interview during a visit to the scene that, the fire started at about 0515 hours after he arrived at the market complex at 0500 hours.
“I was packing my items out of my store when I heard a disturbing sound.
So, I decided to go around to check where the sound was coming from.
Then, I found out that it was the store with mother care products, so I called for help,” he said.
He said with the help of other security persons and traders, they started fighting the fire before the GNFS arrived at the scene.
He applauded the personnel of the GNFS for responding quickly to their call which prevented extensive damage.
Nana Kwesi Prempeh, the President of the Federation of Kumasi Traders advised traders to always put off all electrical appliances before leaving their stores to prevent such situations.
He also urged them to abide by the time for closing and opening the market complex to prevent people with bad intentions from entering into the market to cause trouble.
Nana Prempeh, said but for the vigilance of the security team and the intense surveillance after rumors of causing fire at the market complex, the market would have been completely burnt.
Although 23 stores were protected from the fire outbreak, those closer got their stores flooded with water in the process of preventing the fire from spreading.
Ms. Ama Owusuwaa, a dealer in clothing materials such as High Target and Holland materials, said all her items were wet and she was going to sort them out to save what she could.
GNA