Fire destroy portions of Kumasi Central Market Wednesday dawn

According to our correspondent most of the shops affected, numbering over 100 were owned by groundnuts, artificial hair, perfumes and cloth traders.

Fire Service personnel experienced difficulties in battling the fire effectively due to lack of access to the area which was affected by the fire.

They managed to bring the inferno under control at about 6:30am. The extent of damage was not immediately known.

One fire service personnel, Justice Acheampong who fell and got injured has been sent to the hospital for treatment.

Many traders upon hearing of the incident have rushed to the scene to check on their goods.

It has been a scene of sorrow, anguish and pain as scores of traders, mostly women, who have lost valuable items and goods running into thousands of Ghana cedis, screamed, sobbed or wept uncontrollably.

There is heavy police presence to maintain law and order as well as prevent looting which is normally associated with some of these market fires.

Wednesday morning's fire is the third in less than a year and the first in 2014.

Over the years, many shops at the Kumasi Central Market, which happens to the largest open market in West Africa have been razed down in similar fire incidents.

Electrical works poorly done, fire hazards kept poorly in there, cooking on open fires and leaving them over night, as well as careless and reckless handling of safety issues have been attributed to the numerous fires at the market.

The Ghana National Fire Service has repeatedly recommended the re-wiring of the entire market. City planners have also recommended the reconstruction of the entire market

Yet the authorities have failed to act, but have payed lip service to the recommendations. 

Below are some images from the scene as captured by our correspondent

{gallery}ksimarketfireTuesday{/gallery}