Fire At Makola

William Yaw Owusu

Saturday November 9, 2007
Barely 48 hours after fire devastated a warehouse at the Kasoa market, in the Central Region, a similar tragedy has hit the Makola Annex Two Market, popularly called “T.S. Market” in Accra.

The T.S. (Tema Station) market is located just behind the Intercity Transport Terminate at Tudu and adjacent to the Public Works Department (PWD) yard.

The fire which reportedly started in the early hours of yesterday was so devastating that almost all the traders who thronged the scene broke down in uncontrollable tears.

Coincidentally, fire broke out at the same area exactly four years ago. It happened when Christmas was six weeks away as has happened in this case.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known but many people at the scene speculated that it was a deliberate act by unknown persons especially because it is getting to Christmas and traders had stocked their shops with goods for the season.

The fire spread to about 300 metres square of land area destroying property worth millions of cedis.

When the Times visited the scene at about 7.00 a.m. officers of the Ghana National Fire Service were busily putting out pockets of fire in the market but the whole area had been gutted.

The police had it tough controlling the crowd who wanted to enter the market. Some with the intention to steal and others to salvage whatever was left of their goods.

Speaking to the Times, Michael Gabianu, Metro Fire Officer said, “we got the message about the outbreak at 02:09 hours and we rushed to the scene within two minutes because our Makola station is nearby”.

He said the fire reportedly started around 1.00 am and raged from the southern end of the market to the northern end which shares a boundary with the Intercity bus terminal.

Mr. Gabianu said that when they got to the entrance of the market, the gate had been locked and the security men were absent.

“It took us about 30 minutes to break into the market by which time the fire had reached the northern section of the market.

“It raged like bush fire making control very difficult. It was very tough for us.” he said.

He said lack of access to the market and the wind direction aided the fire to spread quickly.

Mr. Gabianu asked the city authorities to ensure that hydrants are positioned in the market and to use fire resistant materials to reconstruct the structures.

The Assistant Divisional Officer of GNFS, Stephen Pobee, who supervised operations at the scene said the fire was so intense that they had to call to action all fire tenders in the Greater Accra Region.

Water tankers from the Ghana Immigration Service and the Prisons Service were also brought in to assist.

He said one officer from the Trade Fair Station, Godfried Ofori was injured in the course of operations and had to receive treatment at Korle-Bu Hospital.

Kwame Agyemang, Chairman of the markets trader’s association said about 1,500 shops were destroyed.

He said after the first outbreak in 2003, a task force was engaged to monitor security at the market and he was surprised to be informed that when the fire fighters arrived the main gate was locked and no security men were at post”.

“We have continuously monitored and sanctioned people who use naked fire and this has come as a surprise to us.”

Mr. Agyemang said most of the traders have insured their businesses and urged them to remain calm.

“I will entreat members to have patience as we consult the city authorities on the way forward for the market.”

In a telephone interview, Ali Baba Abature, Special Assistant to the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, said “we are going to rebuild the market as quickly as possible for the traders to earn their livelihood.”

He said some of the traders flout the assembly’s bye-laws that forbid them from keeping inflammable materials and cooking in the market which could be the possible cause of the fire outbreak.

He appealed to the affected traders to remain calm and cooperate with the assembly to find solution to the problem.