President John Dramani Mahama, has visited traders at the Blue Light area, in Adum, Kumasi, after fire destroyed their shops early Friday morning.
Consoling the victims of the fire outbreak, the President demanded an immediate investigation by the police, Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) and other relevant bodies to ascertain the cause of the fire, to avert future occurrences.
President Mahama also urged the affected traders to take heart, especially in this difficult time, assuring them that the state would assist them in any way possible to get them back into business.
President Mahama, who was accompanied by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene and other government officials, was also seen interacting with some of the fire victims before leaving the disaster scene.
Firefighters Challenge
Meanwhile, personnel of the GNFS who rushed to the fire scene clearly struggled to deal with the inferno, as all access routes to the fire area were restricted. They therefore had to think and deploy new strategies to deal with the inferno.
But despite the accessibility challenges and lack of modern equipment on the part of the GNFS, especially in dealing with fire on a high rise building, the firefighters still did their utmost best to stop the inferno and saved some properties.
Victims in tears
When the DAILY GUIDE visited the scene, which was like a war zone, some of the affected traders, who claimed to have lost their source of livelihoods, were seen shedding uncontrollable tears as other people were consoling them.
The policemen and other security agencies, who were at the disaster scene to help ensure law and order, managed to apprehend a number of thieves, some of whom were beaten by the angry people at the scene for being heartless.
Meanwhile, the paper has also learned that the fire victims at the Blue Light area have been gripped with the fear of losing their lands permanently. Reports of plans of converting the area into a modern lorry park is making rounds in the city.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah, Kumasi