Makola Razed Down

Daily Guide

Shop owners at Makola Number Two Market in Accra could not contain the trauma of seeing their investments in ruins following a fire outbreak in the market on Thursday evening.

The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) was once again tested on its readiness as it was overwhelmed by the fire for several hours, while onlookers wondered if the personnel were really primed for the assignment.

The fire, which started at about 6:45pm, intimidated the firemen with their tenders until about midnight when it was finally brought under control. It left in its trail destroyed goods worth several millions of Ghana cedis.

Residents in the neighbourhood wondered why a nearby fire station, the Accra Central Fire Station, could not manage the fire.

The intensity of the fire could be determined by the pockets of smouldering fire dotting the place as firemen moved around to put them out, with soldiers and policemen on standby to contain any act of lawlessness when such situations arise.

A fireman told DAILY GUIDE that they had been working all night to bring the situation under control, an indication of how serious the fire was.

The place had been thrown into a state of mourning and market women and men wept uncontrollably over the loss of their wares and capital, with victims claiming that they had cash in their shops.

A female trader said amidst tears that her cash of $20,000 which was hidden in her stall got burnt completely.

The main gates to the market were said to be locked up at the time of the fire outbreak, making it difficult for fire tenders to gain access to fight the fire, a deficiency which prompted questions about such a modern market without an emergency access.

It took several hours for fire personnel to break through the market gates but their inability to access fire hydrants exacerbated the situation. About three traders were said to have collapsed upon hearing the news of the disaster.

Eyewitnesses gave contradictory statements about how the fire started. While some said a power outage triggered the inferno, others claimed it was due to electrical faults.

At about 10:04am yesterday, President John Evans Atta Mills arrived at the scene to assess the extent of damage.

The President, who was visibly shaken by the turn of events, assured the victims of government’s assistance to get them back into business. He would order an investigation into the disaster, he assured them.

“This fire outbreak is a bother to all of us so I came to assure you that we will investigate to know what exactly happened,” the President stated.

“But I am appealing to the National Disaster Management Organisation, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, and the Regional Co-ordinating Council to assist you.

“We, as a government, will not turn our back on you. I know that most of you are wailing and weeping because you have lost your capital completely. So we will do whatever we can to help you,” he promised.

Nii Armah Ashittey, Greater Accra Regional Minister, advised the traders to observe basic safety rules to prevent disasters such as what had happened.

He said the Regional Co-ordinating Council would collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure that the market was rebuilt.

Nii Tackie Commey, MP for Odododiodioo, also assured victims of the government’s support to get them back into business.

He appealed for fire hydrants and access routes in the various markets to forestall such eventualities.

The original Makola Market was also razed by a mysterious fire outbreak many years ago and the displaced market women were transferred to the location which got burnt last Thursday.

The market was constructed with funds from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust, a national pension fund for Ghanaian workers not in the security services.

Major markets have been scenes of fire outbreaks in the past few months. The Kumasi Central Market has had its share of the mysterious fires twice or so. The Kantamanto Market in the Central Business District of Accra and the Takoradi Market have also not been spared.

However, there was no report of lives lost in the Thursday incident