Until markets stop being homes, fire outbreaks will persist - G/A Fire Commander

The Greater Accra Regional Fire Commander, ACFO II Rashid Kwame Nisawu, has issued a warning. He says fire outbreaks in markets will continue without urgent action. Vendors must stop living, cooking, and storing flammable materials in these areas.

Nisawu spoke at the JoyNews National Dialogue on fire cycles in Ghana. He noted that turning markets into homes increases fire risks significantly. Many traders use markets not just for trading but also as residences.

Vendors often light mosquito coils or candles while sleeping in the market. This negligence can lead to fires when unattended flames ignite nearby materials.

"Until we dedicate markets and say this is a dedicated market," he warned, "we will have challenges." He emphasized that cooking and bathing should not happen in these spaces.

Improper storage of flammable substances also contributes to recurring fires. He cited a recent fire outbreak in Adum, Ashanti region, where explosions occurred as the fire spread. This indicated that highly combustible materials were stored improperly.

In some investigations, items sold in the market were found to fuel the blaze. To tackle these issues, Nisawu proposed better market management practices.

He suggested establishing dedicated markets with strict regulations. Vendors should not turn them into makeshift homes or hazardous storage areas.

Proper market segmentation is also essential. Traders selling similar goods should be assigned specific sections of the market.

"This lane is for cloth sellers; this one is for tomato sellers," he explained. This approach would help reduce the risk of fire outbreaks by preventing dangerous mixtures of goods.