A massive fire engulfed the Techiman Central Market on Sunday night, destroying over 100 stalls and leaving traders devastated. The blaze, which started at 9:15 PM, wiped out goods worth millions of cedis, while firefighters battled to contain the flames with limited resources.
Traders criticized the inadequate firefighting equipment in the area, noting that Techiman has only one fire tender. One distraught trader questioned, “Why does a whole metropolitan area have just one fire tender? With more equipment, this could have been controlled earlier.”
Another trader tearfully recounted her loss, explaining that all her investments, funded by loans, were gone. “I don’t know how I’ll survive now,” she said.
The Bono East Regional Fire Commander, ACFO II Naomi Ofori Adubea Sarpong, confirmed that an investigation is underway to determine the fire’s cause. She revealed that six fire tenders from neighboring areas, including Nkoranza and Kintampo, were mobilized to combat the flames.
She highlighted the market’s congested layout as a major obstacle for firefighters and urged the public to take precautions during the dry season to prevent similar incidents.
The fire has left many traders counting their losses and appealing for urgent support to rebuild their businesses.
