Major fire in Ghanaian clothing market destroys hundreds of stalls

Major fire in Ghanaian clothing market destroys hundreds of stalls

A devastating fire that broke out in a clothing market in Ghana's capital Accra has left many people without livelihoods and businesses. The fire in the Kantamanto market - one of the largest Secondary market for clothing worldwide – has now been completely deleted. Fortunately, according to the Ghana National Fire Service, there were no injuries or deaths, but an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire.

The impact on traders

"I was at home when one of my workers called and told me to come to the market quickly. When I arrived at 3 a.m. everything was burnt," shoe trader Kwabena Charles told the state-run Ghana News Agency (GNA). He added: "We tried to save what we could, but it was impossible." The loss of his goods affected him greatly as he lost a significant amount of money.

The support of the community

In the early hours of Thursday morning, videos were posted on Facebook by the national fire department published showing large parts of the market stalls in flames. The Director of Inspection at the National Disaster Management Authority, Richard Amo Yartey, visited the scene of the fire on Thursday and expressed his condolences to the traders.

A look at the future

"It is very unfortunate that this is happening at a time when we should be celebrating the New Year, but this is not the end of life. We are doing our best to support those affected and ensure they get back on their feet," he said, according to GNA. According to the environmental organization Greenpeace The market employs at least 30,000 people, processing millions of second-hand clothing items, mostly from the West.

Previous incidents

There have been several previous fires at the market, showing the urgent need to improve security at this important trading venue.