Portions of the Kumasi Central Market have been destroyed in a fire suspected to have started around 8:30pm on Thursday evening.
The blaze has destroyed shops and property worth thousands of Cedis.
Eyewitnesses say the part of the market known as the 18-yard area through to the second-hand clothes section were the worst hit
Reports indicate that personnel from the Regional Fire Service were at the scene working to put the fire out.
Bridget, a trader who spoke to Citi News, said only a handful of policemen and two fire trucks were on site.
“We heard about the fire around 9pm and rushed to the scene. The whole 18-yard area is gone. There are two fire service trucks and I saw only one policeman and a lot of people around.
“the 18-yard and other areas were on fire. It started right at the entrance of the market.”
According to Bridget, traders at the scene attempting to save their wares.
Market fires are common in Ghana. A number of big markets across the country, including the Kumasi Central Market have been gutted by fire multiple times.
In 2013, government brought in experts from America to assess the cause of these fires but the report is yet to be made public.
However, local fire service personnel say the fires can be blamed on illegal electrical connections, cooking in the markets and burning of rubbish.
By: Kojo Akoto Boateng/citifmonline.com/Ghana