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A catastrophic fire swept through Kantamanto Market in Accra’s Central Business District late last night, leaving hundreds of traders displaced and reducing the bustling commercial hub to ashes.
The blaze, which spread with alarming speed, devastated nearly the entire market, as traders scrambled in vain to salvage their goods. Flames engulfed rows of shops, destroying merchandise worth millions of cedis and plunging families into financial ruin.
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) deployed fire tenders and equipment from across the Greater Accra Region in a desperate bid to control the inferno. Despite their efforts, firefighters described the incident as one of the largest and most challenging they had encountered in recent years.
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Eyewitnesses reported scenes of chaos as traders and residents joined forces with firefighters, using buckets of water and rudimentary tools to combat the flames. However, their efforts were quickly overwhelmed by the intensity of the fire, which consumed large sections of the market.
The aftermath of the fire revealed heart-wrenching scenes of destruction and despair. Traders, many of whom had invested their life savings into their businesses, stood helplessly as their livelihoods were reduced to smouldering ruins.
“I have lost everything. All my goods are gone. I don’t even know where to start,” lamented a distraught trader, her voice choked with emotion.
Another trader, whose shop was among the many destroyed, said, “We need help. This is our life, our everything. Without this market, we have nothing.”
The cause of the fire remains unknown, though initial reports suggest it may have been sparked by an electrical fault. The GNFS has launched an investigation to determine the exact cause and assess the extent of the damage.
Speaking to the press, a senior fire officer urged market operators to prioritise fire safety, stating, “We have repeatedly cautioned traders about overloading electrical circuits and ensuring compliance with safety standards. This tragedy underscores the importance of those precautions.”
