A devastating fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday, August 1, 2024, at the Kwadaso Market in Kumasi, leading to the destruction of over 40 shops.
The fire, which tore through the M line of the market, wiped out a wide range of goods including fabrics, footwear, frozen foods, and agricultural products like plantain and yam.
Traders are counting their losses in millions of cedis, as their livelihoods have been obliterated by the inferno. “All our plantain have been burnt, we are at a great loss, GHC4,000 to GHC5,000 worth of plantain all destroyed. We bought the plantain on credit, and we have to pay, we don’t know how to go about it,” one distressed trader shared in an interview.
Many of the affected traders are elderly, and the financial loss has left them devastated, with some now appealing to the government for support.
Adwoa Connie, a 71-year-old vendor who lost her entire stock of fabrics, shoes, and other goods, expressed her despair:
“I had a call that all my fabrics were destroyed. 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. This is the only job I can do.” With many traders in similar situations, the call for immediate government intervention has become urgent.
The Ashanti Regional Fire Service responded to the blaze with two fire appliances, a fire tender, and a water tanker, but encountered significant challenges in accessing the market due to obstructions at the entrance and on the roads leading to the fire scene.
The Public Relations Officer of the Fire Service noted, “The entrance of the market had some obstructions around it, so the doors could not open fully, and the gate not open fully. Access to the scene of the fire was a challenge.”
Despite these hurdles, the fire was eventually brought under control. An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the fire, with no casualties reported.
