Some affected Traders of the Kantamanto Fire Outbreak have accused the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) of delays in quenching the inferno alleging that the firefighters’ efforts were to only prevent the fire from extending to other surrounding structures.
In the early hours of January 2, 2025, a devastating fire swept through the Kantamanto Market in Accra, leaving traders in despair as they counted their losses.
The market, known for its vibrant atmosphere and diverse range of goods, was reduced to ashes in a matter of hours.
The scene was one of heartbreak and chaos. Traders, many of whom had invested their life savings into their businesses, sifted through the charred remains of their stalls, hoping to salvage anything of value.
Kantamanto Railway Number 2 Chairman, Yiadom Adarkwa in an interview with Channel One News.”We sell second-hand clothing here. We have wholesalers and retailers here. I head Kantamanto Railway Number 2 and there are about 3500 people who do business here. We have Kantamanto Joint Traders Association, we are about 12,000 plus thus numerous shops have been destroyed.
“I was in Kasoa around 1 am when someone called me that there’s been a fire outbreak here. I got here in the next 45 minutes and the fire service was already here. But they are only protecting Liberty House, the bank and other big buildings here neglecting the market,” he bemoaned.
Meanwhile, the Ghana National Fire Service has responded to the accusations of the GNFS dousing the fire from surrounding structures that were yet to be affected by the inferno.
According to ADO1 Alex King Nartey, the move was necessary to protect the surrounding structures as the market area had already gone down in flames.
“These structures as we came were burnt so putting the fire out wouldn’t have made any difference. The other ones that are not burnt are where we had to now target to make sure that we minimise the extent of that reach. So it is just part of our modus operandi. It is just common sense that you let the one that is burnt burn so that you channel your concentration to save the one that is not burnt. And then after saving it, we can now fight the fire,” he said.
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