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The Greater Accra Regional Fire Commander, ACFO II Rashid Kwame Nisawu, has called for urgent measures to prevent vendors from using marketplaces as residential spaces, warning that such practices are a major cause of fire outbreaks in Ghana’s markets.
Speaking at the JoyNews National Dialogueon fire cycles in Ghana on Thursday, April 3 which was monitored by Elvisanokyenews.net. stated that the habit of turning markets into residential areas is a key factor contributing to frequent fire disasters.
According to him, many traders sleep, cook, and store flammable substances in market areas, creating a high-risk environment that has led to devastating fires in recent years. He explained that, until marketplaces are officially designated and regulated, prohibiting people from cooking, sleeping, or bathing there, market fires will continue to pose a threat to lives and livelihoods.
“In Ghana, marketplaces are used for domestic purposes, When you are sleeping in the market and in the night mosquitoes are disturbing you, definitely you put on a coil. If there’s light off, you put on a candle.
“When you are asleep, you don’t know things around you, so definitely these are the things that are causing the fires. Until we dedicate market, and said this is a dedicated market don’t allow people to come cook, sleep there, bath there and you turn markets as their homes we will have challenges.
ACFO II Rashid Kwame Nisawu, also explained the dangers of improper storage of flammable materials, citing recent fire incidents as evidence. Referring to a fire at the Adum market, he noted that explosions during the blaze pointed to hazardous substances stored on-site.
He also recounted a specific case where a vendor unknowingly triggered a massive fire by attempting to extinguish flames with water after a substance identified as carbide was exposed to moisture.
“Let me talk about the storage of flammables. If you watch the clip of Adum very well, you’ll notice that as the fire spreads, there are explosions. Ask yourself, what’s causing these explosions? It’s the improper storage of flammable materials.
“I have investigated fires that we realized that the items that the person was selling was what caused the fire. You mix cupboard with water, it will generate fire.
“There is a sensitive fire that I would not like to mention, but that was the cause of that fire. In a market, the person was selling carbide and water fell into the carbide and generated smoke. And the person didn’t know that you don’t have to even add more water to it, so in their attempt to put out the fire, they were adding more water to the carbide and that generated a very big fire in this country.” He stated.
The Fire Commander used the opportunity to advocate for better organization within markets. He recommended clear market segmentation to separate different types of goods and minimize risk.
“To prevent these things, we need proper market segmentation market spaces should be organized, cloth sellers in one lane, tomato sellers in another. Without such structure, accidents and fire risks increase significantly.” He disclosed
Source: Elvisanokyenews.net
