The Minority in Parliament has attributed the recent devastating fire outbreak at Adum in the Central Business District of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region to erratic power supply, commonly known as dumsor.
The fire, which ravaged several shops and properties, left nine people injured and caused extensive damage, raising concerns about fire safety and emergency response in the region.
Addressing the issue on the floor of Parliament on Monday, March 24, Member of Parliament for Subin, Kofi Obiri Yeboah urged the government to urgently resolve the ongoing power crisis and called on international organizations to assist affected traders.
“In my interaction with traders and eyewitnesses, it was revealed that this fire was allegedly triggered by dumsor. Power had been out, and the moment electricity was restored, it sparked and triggered the fire. Mr. Speaker, this is most unfortunate, considering how far we have come as a nation.” he urged.
His statement further highlighted the challenges faced by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in responding to the incident.
“Reports indicate that the Fire Service was handicapped in their attempt to salvage the situation due to non-existent fire hydrants at nearby stations and major logistical constraints. The congested nature of the market, coupled with the lack of modern firefighting infrastructure, worsened the situation, making it almost impossible for firefighters to contain the blaze,” he stated
However, the Majority Chief Whip, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, cautioned against jumping to conclusions, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation to determine the actual cause of the fire.
“The issue of what caused the fire should be properly investigated,” he stated, adding, “You can speculate on radio, but on this platform, we must rely on facts. If my members also come and claim the fire was deliberately set by someone, it could lead to unnecessary chaos. Our focus should be on providing relief to the affected traders.”
Authorities have yet to officially confirm the cause of the fire, but investigations are ongoing.
Meanwhile, traders and business owners in the affected area continue to count their losses, calling for immediate government intervention to prevent future occurrences.
