Ghana Fire Service douses inferno at Katamanto market

A massive fire tore through Kantamanto Market in Accra's Central Business District of the Greater Accra Region late last night, displacing hundreds of traders and leaving the vibrant commercial hub in ruins.
The inferno, which spread rapidly, destroyed nearly the entire market, with desperate traders making frantic but futile attempts to save their goods.
The blaze reduced rows of shops to ashes, obliterating merchandise worth millions of cedis and pushing countless families into financial hardship.
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) mobilized thirteen fire tenders and resources from across the Greater Accra Region in an urgent bid to contain the disaster.
Despite their efforts, the scale and intensity of the blaze posed significant challenges.
"This is one of the largest and most difficult incidents we’ve faced in recent years," a GNFS spokesperson remarked, highlighting the complexities of fighting fires in densely packed commercial areas.
Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes as traders, residents, and firefighters battled side by side to extinguish the flames. Armed with buckets of water and basic tools, civilians attempted to slow the fire's advance.
However, their efforts were ultimately overwhelmed by the inferno's ferocity, which consumed vast sections of the market within hours.
For many traders, the fire represents not just the loss of goods but also the collapse of their livelihoods.
Kantamanto Market, a cornerstone of Accra's informal economy, serves thousands of vendors and customers daily.
Victims are now calling on the government and other stakeholders for swift assistance to recover from the disaster.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire, with early reports suggesting a possible electrical fault. Meanwhile, GNFS officials have renewed calls for stricter safety measures in markets to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Source: Classfmonline.com/Cecil Mensah
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