A total of about 600 stores, shops, outlets, and stalls containing traders wares such as clothes, dresses, provisions, food items, sewing machines, bags, mobile phones, fridges, laptops, and many others running into thousands of cedis have been confirmed destroyed by the inferno that razed down the Akyem Oda main Market center.
According to the Police report, Akim Oda police received a distress call that there was a fire outbreak at the Oda main market at about 8:50pm Monday.
A Team of Policemen quickly visited the scene and found the inferno destroying the market. Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service – Akim Oda and the Military from the Achiase Jungle Warfare School were accordingly informed.
The Fire Personnel responded quickly to the call with their Fire Tender but due to the overcrowded nature of the market square without proper ventilation, coupled with the overwhelming degree of the inferno, they could not douse the fire.
Reinforcement was called from Fire Stations at Achiase, Asamankese, and Agona Swedru who responded swiftly with their Fire Tenders and with support from the Police, the Military, the municipal NADMO, and some concerned youth, the fire was brought under control.
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Oda Akwasi Acquah, the Queen-mother for Akyem Kotoku, Nana Akosua Asantewa II, and the Eastern regional Fire Officer Jennifer Naa-Yaale Quaye visited the market center on Tuesday.
The Regional Fire Officer ACFOJennifer Naa-Yaale Quaye cautioned traders against illegal electricity connections and the use of cooking gas cylinders in the various markets.
The Queen mother of Akyem Kotoku traditional area; Nana Akua Asantewaa II said most fire outbreaks in the markets are caused by human negligence, hence to stop it, traders who are caught cooking in markets must be arrested or fined by the law.
Investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
