Kumasi: ‘Inestimable’ properties consumed by Good Friday fire

The Kumasi Central Market was engulfed by fire on Good Friday, razing down the clothing section of the popular trading centre in the Ashanti Region.

Reports say a delayed call to the Ghana National Fire Service escalated the inferno that started small.

At least four fire tenders were used to put out the raging flames that were burning close to a fuel station.

The Ashanti Regional Fire Service Commander, Joshua Nguah, said it would be difficult to estimate the cost of destruction at the ‘Doctor Mensah’ area of the popular market.

"I am sure if we had been called early enough the extent of damage would have been minimised."

"We are professionals and have the eye to detect and solve fire problems. Although we were called late, we thank God we have been able to put out the fire," he said.

The Kumasi Metro Coordinator for the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Frank Duodu, who was at the scene at the fire incident, urged the public to adopt the habit of calling authorised firefighters quickly.

Last year, about 50 stalls at the same market were razed by a similar fire incident.

Properties amounting to thousands of Ghana cedis were lost in that inferno too.

Corn mill machines, bags of beans, bags of pepper, rubbers, clothes, earrings, and others were burnt in that inferno.