Victims of the Timber market fire outbreak in Accra on Sunday, have begun counting their losses yesterday when the Ghanaian Times visited the scene to assess the extent of damage caused so far.
The victims were seen sifting through their left over properties while some scavengers also seized the opportunity to find scraps and other materials from the debris of the razed market.
Though the cause of the fire is yet to be officially known, the victims mainly carpenters, metal workers who were seen sifting through the rubles, attributed the fire to a gas explosion from the room of one resident who had his house close to the market.
In an interview with the Ghanaian Times, the Head of Public Relations of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Divisional Officer (DO) II, Mr Ellis Robinson Okoe, indicated that they had a distress call at 12: 41 pm on Sunday, informing them about the fire outbreak.
He further added that they had a difficult challenge in their attempt to put off the fire when they got to the scene due to its intense nature as it involved wood.
According to him, they had to engage V8 fire engines in their attempt to put out the fire which lasted for five hours.
Mr Robinson Okoe noted that one casualty Kofi Williams, 24 years, was injured by electric shock and was later sent to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital by the family for treatment.
He explained that the actual cause of the fire outbreak was yet to be established, adding, that, there would be an investigation into the matter.
Mr Robinson Okoe said that the GNFS would soon organise a sensitisation programme to educate the public on issues regarding fire outbreak and how to tackle it.
At the scene, it was observed that details of the victims including their names, contacts, items destroyed among others were being taken by an official of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly( (AMA), which would be handed over to NADMO to provide the victims with the necessary assistance.
Speaking to the Ghanaian Times, David Dankwah, a victim explained that he was at home when he had a call to inform him that his carpenter’s shop together with other shops at the market had been guttered by fire
He added that he was shocked when he got to the scene and saw his shop totally burnt down, and complained about the rate at which wooden structures were springing around the market.
Another victim, Mr Mohammed Abdallah, noted that he was on his way to visit a friend only to receive a call from a family member about the fire outbreak.
Mr Abdallah added that he was left dejected when he got to the scene because his shop which got burnt stored the works of his customers.
Mr Samuel Otoo, sharing his thoughts on the fire outbreak said he lost all he had as his whole life was dependent on all that had been razed down.
Mr Otoo lamented the rate at which people were putting up wooden structures around the market which possess danger when there was a fire outbreak.
He therefore, called on authorities to make sure that those wooden structures erected should be demolished in order to protect lives and properties.
BY BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY
