Security agencies prevent Tudu market fire from spreading
The timely intervention of a combined team of the Ghana National Fire Service, the Police and the Military on Tuesday night prevented another major fire outbreak from spreading at the State Transport Station Market at “Tema Station” in Accra.
Mr Patrick Timbillah, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) and Director General of Human Resources in a media briefing after the fire was brought under control, said the fire started at about 8pm and their timely intervention coupled with the cooperation of the traders at the market enabled them to bring the fire under total control within minutes of its outbreak.
He said looking at the nature of recent fire outbreaks, one cannot rule out the possibility of sabotage, hence a combined team of the Fire Service, Police and the Military would be patrolling some major markets in the country to check the activities of any miscreants.
He said most properties were secured at the Tema Station (TS) Market and the Police managed to arrest five people who were looting the wares of other traders, and they will be placed before court after the necessary investigations.
DCOP Timbillah, who is the immediate past Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, said the Fire Service and the Police would investigate the cause of the fire and come out with a report soon.
By the time the GNA arrived on the scene, TS Market had been cordoned off by a heavily armed contingent of Police and the Military personnel so as to prevent looting by a large crowd who had gathered to witness the scene.
Mr Henry Ojukwu, a Nigeria trader at the Market, said his store was intact and he was grateful to the security forces for a good work done.
Miss Larmi Fatawu, a seamstress, however, lamented that her sewing machines and materials were stolen by miscreants whiles attempting to put out the fire.
Miss Jacquiline Ahado, a store owner at the TS Market stated that her premises were safe in one piece adding that it would have been a huge disaster had it not being the timely intervention of the security forces.
The nation has recently been bedevilled with several unexplained market fires this year and with this one occurring right after the Kantamanto Market fire disaster which occurred on Sunday, many in anxiety are wondering the way forward to avoid similar situations in future.
Source: GNA