Story: George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
On Sunday, January 13, 2008, a section of the business community at Bantama in the Kumasi metropolis was hit by another fire disaster when the Bantama main market was gutted down and as many as 460 stalls filled with assorted products were totally destroyed.
In addition to the large number of property that were totally consumed by the fire which left behind significant economic losses, and the cost refurbishing the market, the fire also claimed the life of a pregnant woman.
The deceased, who was identified as Cynthia Ayamga, and her male partner, Isor Ayamga, were alleged to be sleeping in one of the stalls when the fire started, and while the male partner managed to escape, the deceased was trapped in the stall that had been converted into a bedroom and burnt beyond recognition.
Isor Ayamga also sustained severe burns and is currently on admission at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital where he is receiving treatment.
Fire outbreaks in the Kumasi metropolis, especially at satellite markets, including the Asafo Market and the main Kumasi Central Market, regarded as the biggest in the West African sub-region, seem to have become an annual ritual as each year a market in the metropolis is gutted by fire for reasons very difficult to comprehend.
Daily Graphic investigations have revealed that the markets have become residential apartments for residents who have no permanent abode and in the night, the residents do not only prepare their meals on coal pots and other gadgets to keep body and soul together, but also use candles as sources of lights in the stalls which they use as makeshift accommodation facilities.
The investigations further revealed that the Bantama market fire outbreak was the result of a candle used by the deceased and her partner as their main source of light during the night, which caught fire in their makeshift bedroom and consumed them before spreading quickly to other parts of the market completely destroying products worth millions of Ghana cedis.
Apart from the Bantama Market fire outbreak this year, part of the Kumasi Central Market also caught fire a few days ago, destroying quantities of property belonging to a section of the business community in the metropolis.
Information made available to the Daily Graphic by the Ghana National Fire Service indicated that in 2006 for example, a total of 570 fire outbreaks occurred in the Kumasi metropolis and other parts of the Ashanti Region. According to the source, property estimated at GH¢1.632,150 was totally destroyed during the fire outbreaks. Last year, as many as 778 fire outbreaks were recorded in Kumasi and other parts of the region.
The source said the economic loss from the fire outbreaks to the victims in Kumasi and its environs was enormous because property estimated at GH¢39,379,232 were totally destroyed.
Ironically, fire outbreaks in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs over the years mostly occurred at the beginning of the year.
In January 2006, as many as 60 fire outbreaks were recorded and the figure increased to 156 in January last year. While property estimated at GH¢1,232,978 was destroyed through fire outbreaks in January 2006 alone, and as much as GH¢4,433,179 worth of property was lost through fire outbreaks in January 2007.
Apart from the satellite markets in the metropolis where fire outbreaks have become predominant, domestic fire outbreaks that have occurred in the Kumasi metropolis are also overwhelming, as in 2006 alone 310 domestic fire outbreaks were recorded in Kumasi and its environs, and this increased to 396 in 2007.
The pains, mental agony and economic impact that victims of the fire outbreaks went through were very devastating, because while some of the victims were so traumatised and never recovered from the financial loss, others died from the shock of seeing their life-long property consumed by fire within a short period of time.
The Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO), Mr Obeng D. Dwamena, told the Daily Graphic that it was important for residents to take precautionary measures to reduce the incidence of fire outbreaks and avoid the loss of lives and property.
Mr Dwamena, who is the Ashanti Regional Fire Officer, noted with concern the rate at which fire outbreaks were undermining effective and efficient socio-economic development of the metropolis and called on residents to take preventive measures against outbreak of fire in marketplaces, residential areas, industries and institutions, among others.
He said apart from the economic effect of fire outbreaks, they also caused the death of people. In 2006 for example a total of 85 people died from fire outbreaks and last year fire outbreaks claimed the lives of 41 people.
He said the rampant fire outbreaks in marketplaces within the metropolis for example could be attributed to the lackadaisical manner that a section of the business community in particular and those who used the markets as places of abode used items that could easily spark off fire.
He said some of the women cooked in the market without ensuring that members in their coal pots were completely put out.
He said those who used the stalls as residential apartments also resorted to the use of candles as sources of lights without creating fire belts and the candles sometimes caught fire when they were asleep and with the aid of any slight wind, it spread to other areas destroying lives and property.
Mr Dwamena said notwithstanding the numerous campaigns carried out by personnel of the Fire Service on the negative impact that fire outbreaks created in society, the outbreaks had intensified.
That, he said, was undermining sustainable socio-economic development because of the economic loss they brought.
He also expressed concern about the number of false calls that a section of the public made to the personnel of the service.
He said last year for example as many as 26 false calls were made and in 2006, the service recorded 48 false calls.
That, he said, did not only affect their operations but also diverted attention, and therefore urged those involved in making false calls to put an end to it or face prosecution when they were traced and arrested.
He said that the Fire Service had acquired the necessary gadgets to trace such people and would soon put up mechanisms to trace and prosecute them if they continued to indulge in such negative practices.
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