Kejetia Traders Association President Nana Kwasi Prempeh revealed that all fire systems in the ultra-modern Kejetia Market were not working at the time the edifice was consumed by the fire.
“Only in the nearby shop where the fire started, there was a hydrant, but it wasn’t working. Our brothers tried to use it but the water wasn’t flowing for about fifteen minutes. So we can say on authority that the fire system in the market didn’t work when we needed it. All Fire detection systems did not work yesterday. Kejetia Dealers Association President Nana Kwasi Prempeh told Angel FM in Kumasi in an interview.
Meanwhile, the Ghanaian National Fire Service in the market insists that the fire systems were in good condition and then in working order.
Nana Kwasi Prempeh also wondered how often the market management educates traders on the issue of safety, especially issues related to fire.
“We ask the market fire department how often they do tests on a fire detection system. They don’t, we haven’t seen that before,” said Nana Kwasi Prempeh.
He added, “We raised some of these issues over the past months but no one listened to them, and today it is the same merchants who will suffer.”
Meanwhile, Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei-Mensah has ordered the facility closed to business in order to allow an assessment of the damage caused and also find ways to solve the immediate challenges.
