Fire Service to investigate Mallam Market fire outbreak

The Dansoman Division of the National Fire Service on Monday said it has instituted an investigation into the cause of fire at the Mallam Market in the early hours of Monday.

Mr. James Quarshie, Station Fire Officer at Dansoman in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, complained about lack of access in the market which hindered their swift operations to the locate the source of the fire.

He said the combustible material at the market also aided the spread of the fire making it extremely difficult for the fire team to reach the exact spot at about 0615 hours.

He said: “we called for immediate re-enforcement due to the density of the fire and advised market women to adhere to fire safety measures and procedures as outlined by regulations.

He said though there were no casualties, items destroyed include bags of rice, groundnut, salt, tomatoes and tins of tomatoes, corn, fish, clothes, cartons of eggs and other food stuff.

Also, more than 50 market sheds containing various items were also gutted in the outbreak.

A financial institution, Rich Step Investment, a Susu and Small Medium enterprise had its office destroyed.

An eye witness, one Mr. Adams, told the GNA that but for the prompt and timely response of firemen who got to the premises at about 0615hrs, a lot more items of traders could have been lost in the process.

He said the fire started around 0555Hrs in one of the sheds, “we thought it was someone who was burning something but before we realised it had spread all over”.

An old woman, Auntie Dora, a salt seller, said she just saw the fire approaching her shed and couldn’t help it as the fire swept through her shed. She appealed to the authorities to quickly come to their assistance.