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Traders of Kasoa New Market are counting their losses after a ravaging fire razed a portion of the facility last Sunday.
The disaster affected about 186 shops and some makeshift structures, as large quantities of products were reduced to ashes.
The fire spread rapidly, exacerbated by the fact that many of the shops were locked up on a usually quiet Sunday afternoon.
“As you can see, it's late, and the smoke is all over the place, but the fire has been quenched.
We are praying that those who have lost their wares find some comfort because many shops have gone up in flames,” an eye-witness told the Daily Graphic at about 9 p.m. last Sunday.
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) officials said they received a distress call at about 14:50 p.m and subsequently dispatched the first fire engine at 16:51 p.m.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Rashid Nisawu, who coordinated the firefighting efforts, said in all, eight fire engines were marshalled, with the support of a private water tanker.
“We have been able to mobilise about eight fire engines and one private tanker,” ACFO Nisawu told the Daily Graphic.
On arrival at the scene, the Daily Graphic team observed that the market association was compiling a list of affected shop owners in a bid to estimate the cost of damage caused by the fire.
Following the devastating outbreak, community leaders and residents called for immediate implementation of fire safety protocols to prevent a recurrence.
Phyllis Naa Koryoo Okunor (arrowed), Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East, in a chat with some of the traders after the incident
Although no lives were lost, the traders said the magnitude of the damage could have been significantly reduced if the necessary safety measures were in place.
They cited the absence of fire hydrants, narrow access routes and poor emergency planning as major obstacles that hampered firefighting efforts.
During the fire outbreak, several fire engines reportedly struggled to access the heart of the market, while others had to leave the scene repeatedly to refill water due to the lack of on-site hydrants.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Awutu Senya East, Phyllis Naa Koryoo Okunor, who visited the market yesterday, acknowledged the challenges and described the situation as a wake-up call for the authorities.
A section of the market left in ruins after the fire
“There were no proper access routes for fire tenders, and the lack of hydrants made the situation more difficult.
These are issues that must be addressed urgently,” she said, adding that discussions would be held with the Ghana National Fire Service to develop a plan for installing hydrants in the market.
She described the situation as dire and called for urgent intervention to prevent a future recurrence.
“I received a call about the outbreak while I was running errands and quickly rushed here to assist my people.
When I arrived, I realised the situation was far worse than what had been reported. We initially had only one fire tender at the scene,” she said.
Ms Okunor later met some of the affected traders, many of whom were in distress.
“I consulted with them last night, and today they are meeting with the market leadership to assess their damages,” she said.
“From here, I’ll be joining the meeting to speak with them and show the little support I have for them.
For now, I cannot specify what kind of support I can provide because the full extent of the damage has not yet been assessed,” she said.
“Once I receive the report, I will determine how I can assist.
But I want them to know that they are not alone in this situation,” she added.
The Chief Administrator of the Odupongwe Market Retailers Association, Alhaji Harun Tetteh Mensah, described the market as ill-prepared for emergencies, stressing the need for structured fire safety measures.
Debris from destroyed stores after the fire
“This fire has shown that we are not ready for emergencies.
We need proper planning, access roads and safety systems in place,” he said.
