As part of efforts to intensify investigations into the recent Kejetia market inferno, the managing director of new Kejetia, Kofi Duffour, says measures have been initiated to investigate the the cause of the Tuesday night fire outbreak at the Kejetia market.
According to him, earlier in the morning just after the incident, the terminal was closed temporarily, and was opened around 11am last Wednesday, to ensure safety of the area for commencement of business transactions.
Mr Duffour hinted that police have picked the owner of the shop, that was engulfed by the fire to assist in further investigations.
“Ghana National Fire Service has also commenced intensive investigation on the incident to find out what might have triggered the fire, so in all, we are strongly working tirelessly to make sure safety is prevailed to protect life and property in the market”, he added.
He however, assured Manhyia Palace as well as Asanteman that measures are in place to protect the market and urged all to instill confidence in management of the Kejetia market.
The chairman for Kejetia Petty Traders Association, Nana Akwasi Prempeh, also spoke to ghanacrimereport.com‘s Ebenezer Owusu Ansah said the association was identifying some challenges at the market and were ready to collaborate with the management of market to provide the possible solutions.
For the recordKejetia Market is the largest single market in West Africa which has over 10,000 stores and stalls.
It borders the Centre for National Culture, Kumasi in the North, the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in the North-west, Ashanti Newtown in the East and Adum, the central business district in the South and South-west. It’s sister Kumasi Central Market is located in the South-east.
Fire outbreaks have destroyed life and property at the market at different times and at different occasions.
The largest fire outbreak that ever destroyed the market was September 199, 2001 which razed down over 150 shops.
It took the intervention of the personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) to stop the fire from further spreading and the cause was attributed to illegal electric connections at the market by workers of a private developer.
By Ebenezer Owusu Ansah