A fire outbreak at the Kumasi Kejetia Market in the Ashanti Region has destroyed three shops, marking yet another blaze in the busy commercial hub.

The fire reportedly started around 3:50 a.m. on February 12, 2025, but was swiftly contained by firefighters patrolling the market.

According to ADOI Ebenezer Opoku, Officer in Charge of the Kejetia Market Fire Post, preliminary investigations suggest the fire may have resulted from a chemical reaction in one of the shops selling various chemicals.

However, he emphasized that further investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause.

“We suspect a chemical reaction, but we cannot rely on that alone.

Our team has begun further investigations,” he stated.

The fire has resulted in the loss of thousands of Ghana Cedis worth of goods, affecting several traders.

This latest incident is the third fire outbreak in the $298 million market, which was opened in 2019.

March 15, 2023: A massive blaze destroyed 54 shops. January 24, 2025: Two shops were reduced to ashes. February 12, 2025: Three more shops have now been affected.

On February 11, 2025, just a day before the latest fire, Ashanti Regional Minister Dr. Frank Amoakohene toured the market and assured traders that repairs for the March 2023 fire damage would begin soon.

However, another fire struck before the repair works could commence.

Affected trader Madam Efua Saah expressed her distress over the situation and appealed for quick repairs so businesses could resume.

Mr. Johnson Ankrah, Chairman of the Kumasi City Market Traders Union, condemned the sale of chemicals within the market and called for their immediate relocation to prevent future fires.

“We will engage market management and the Regional Minister to find a lasting solution to this issue,” he stated.