A fire outbreak at the Kwadaso market in Kumasi has left traders reeling from the loss of their shops and livelihoods.
The blaze, which started in the early hours of Thursday, August 1, 2024, engulfed more than 40 stalls along the M line of the market.
The affected traders, who dealt in various goods such as fabrics, footwear, frozen foods, plantain, and yam, are now facing significant financial challenges.
Many of them had taken loans or bought goods on credit, and the destruction of their merchandise has left them in a precarious situation.
One distressed trader shared, “All our plantain have been burnt, we are at a great loss, GHC4,000 to GHC5,000 plantain all destroyed. We bought the plantain on credit and we have to pay, we don’t know how to go about it. We need help, myself and my colleagues. I’m 62 years old, this is the only business I can do, I don’t have the energy to do any other business.”
Another trader, Adwoa Connie, expressed her desperation, saying, “I sell fabrics, shoes, hair scarves and other kinds of stuff. I took a loan, I had a call that all my fabrics were destroyed, and I’m appealing to the government to come to my aid so that I can restart the business, I’m 71 years old and my kids are in school, there is no help anywhere.”
The Ashanti Regional Fire Service deployed two fire appliances, a fire tender, and a water tanker to extinguish the blaze.
However, they faced challenges due to obstructions at the market entrance and along the road leading to the scene, causing delays in their response.
While there were no casualties reported, the traders are now left to pick up the pieces and rebuild their businesses.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the fire, as the affected individuals hope for assistance to recover from this devastating incident.
