According to information sources says, the New Kejetia Market in Kumasi will be closed this morning and will not reopen until later in the day. This is so that the appropriate authorities can inspect the facility as part of their ongoing investigation into the fire that broke out in parts of the enclave on Wednesday evening.
An investigation into the cause of the fire has been initiated by the Ghana National Fire Service.
The fire is said to have started on the first floor, in a section of the building where combustible materials are sold.
It took the firefighters a few hours to get the situation completely under control.
According to Frank Duodu, the Ashanti Regional Director for the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), traders should allow the closure so that an accurate assessment of the incident can be conducted.
It is not possible to engage in any activities at the market until twelve o’clock today. That is what we are recommending, as proper work will be carried out, and as a result, I am not sure that business can continue in the early hours,” he said.
During an interview with Citi News, Ashanti Regional Fire Commander ACFO 1 Henry Giwaa recommended that members of the public and traders exercise extreme caution when working with combustible materials.
In the event that there was a fire, he emphasized that it was critical to contact the fire department as soon as possible.
We have counted approximately 33 businesses that have been impacted by this issue on average. The investigation is currently taking place. It started the second we stepped foot in this location. Therefore, once we have completed our work, we will announce it to the general public.
Because even with this incident, the call came in from our National Headquarters in Accra before we were able to dispatch when we were just here, the public should call immediately as soon as there is an outbreak.
The fire broke out less than a week to the day after several sections of the market were flooded as a result of a downpour.
Source: Citinewsroom.com