The Kumasi City Market Limited, managers of the New Kejetia Market, have temporarily closed down the New Kejetia Market following Wednesday afternoon’s fire outbreak that gutted parts of the market.
The decision to close down the 300,000-capacity market with over 8,400 shops was arrived at following close consultations between authorities at Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and managers of the New Kejetia Market.
Speaking on GhanAkoma evening political show on Akoma FM in Kumasi, the Managing Director of the facility, Kofi Duffour, said that was the only option to save the situation now.
Speaking with host Aduanaba Kofi Asante, Mr Duffour pointed out that this is to allow personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service and other technicians inspect and satisfy themselves with fire and safety installations in the market.
He said the market will be opened on Thursday at about 1:00pm only after personnel from the Service, electrical engineers and cleaners have cleaned and test-run the facility.
A swift intervention by fire officers prevented what could have been one of the biggest fire incidents in the Garden City, as parts of the New Kejetia Market caught fire.
Electrical and fire installations such as automatic sprinklers, water hoses and water hydrants installed at the New Kejetia Market were said to have contributed to swift Fire Service response to bring the situation under control.
The conduct of the fire personnel earned applause from the Managing Director of the facility.
“In fact, in Kumasi, we are so fortunate that we have expert fire service personnel. The regional commander and metro fire commander. Look at the expertise that they just exhibited now,” said Mr Duffour.
“Everybody here was applauding them,” he added.
Source: myghanadaily
