Trading activities at the Kumasi Kejetia new market in the Ashanti Region has been suspended for the next three days.

The Management of Kumasi City Market Limited (KCML) says the Kejetia Market Complex will be shut down on Thursday March 16, 2023 and opened to the public the next Monday.

This follows a fire outbreak on the market that started in the early hours of Wednesday, March 15 destroying about 54 shops in the process.

The decision follows a recommendation by the Ashanti Regional Minister Hon Simon Osei on the management to close down the facility for further investigations.

Hon Simon Osei Mensah on Thursday visited the fire scene and appelaled the the traders to suspend trading activities to allow security agencies work at the scene.

Hon Simon Osei Mensah maintained that, the closure will allow fire officers to check the structural integrity of the facility.

Leadership of the traders after an emergency meeting with management of the market agreed allow the closure of the facility.

The president for Federation of Kumasi Traderds, Nana Kwasi Prempeh in an interview with OTEC News Jacob Agyenim Boateng said traders who had their shops burnt will be given the opportunity to visit their shops for three hours every day.

He expressed worry over the situation and called for calm among members who lost their wares.

Exalt Shop, where the fire started located

The shop that started the new Kejetia Market inferno has identified, according to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNSF).

The shop that deals in flammable and combustible materials like turpentine is said to be located at the extension wing of the first floor of the market.

The PRO of the Ashanti Regional Command of the GNFS, DOIII Peter Addai told Otec FM’s morning show ‘Dwabrem’ said the exact cause is yet to be known.

He told the host Captain Koda that there is a suspected use of gas cylinder that started the inferno that gutted 33 shops on the floor that accommodates 250 shops.

“The GNFS has located exactly the shop where the fire started. The shop deals with flammable materials like turpentine, adhesives among others, but we are yet to establish its cause,” Peter Addai said.

“Though it is yet to be confirmed, there is a suspected use of a gas cylinder that started the fire which spread to other shops that deals with cosmetics products” he added.