The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has raised alarms about the ongoing reconstruction of the Kantamanto Market, following a devastating fire on January 2, 2025.
The blaze, which destroyed hundreds of shops and goods, has prompted traders to push for swift rebuilding. However, the GNFS has called for a halt to the reconstruction to ensure proper fire safety measures and fire-resistant materials are incorporated.
In a statement on Point Blank during Eyewitness News, Alex King Nartey, a member of the GNFS communication team, stressed the importance of collaboration between traders and the fire service to avoid future safety risks.
“We advise the reconstruction is halted for a proper plan for the building to be put together, and proper fire-resistant materials. A proper building that will incorporate a fire detection system and be able to incorporate fire fighting tools at vantage points so that any time there is fire these tools, like the sprinklers, will come off and put out the fire,” he stated.
Nartey also criticised the use of wood in the rebuilding process, highlighting its vulnerability to fires. He stressed the importance of a collaborative approach to ensure the market is rebuilt with adequate safety standards.
“Ideally, per the operations of the service, we would have preferred a consultation with the Ghana National Fire Service and then we make recommendations on how the rebuilding can be done with the right fire-resistant materials.
“Mind you, they are still rebuilding with wood. You can’t keep on doing the same thing and expecting different results. In this case, we as a service wish that the market people would have come together with us so that we become very instrumental in the reconstruction,” he stated.
