BAMENDA MAIN MARKET SWALLOWED BY A FIRE INCIDENT

A fire incident considered one of the most devastating records in the history of the North-West Region of Cameroon l, happened recently on Thursday 22nd February. The fire outbreak engulfed over hundreds of shops, and got many of them burned to ashes. This incident clearly, is a very disheartening fire incident.

In tears many traders, and the population at large rushed helter-skelter around the scene of the fire outbreak.Other shop owners without hope lamented after watching first hand as their investments from many years hard work had gone  down to ashes in less than three hours.

The cause of the fire incident remains unknown at the moment, and firefighting units were deployed to remedy the situation by putting off the fire, but the intensity of the fire appeared to be uncontrollable and it took many more hours for it to be completely put out.

The Bamenda main market stands one of the biggest markets in the Northwest Region and it is of course the economic life line of the town.

In the web of emotions, some traders blame the intensity of the flames to the multiple kiosk in every corner of the market. One of them shop owners while weeping says bitterly “I struggled to be inside this market, but they keep congesting the market, now I have lost all my goods in my shop, where do I begin from”.

The anguish these traders express is real and according to an eye witness who says “the fire started around 4 pm (GMT +1) and extended wildly but insufficient water supply at the scene further compelled rescue efforts”.

When the indigent occurred, several hours later the governor of the Northwest, Adolphe Lele L’Afrique visited the scene and shared his sympathy with the affected traders and appealed that they remain calm.

Many of these traders have today lost millions of FCFA in the market. It is really disheartening to see several years of investment gone down the drain just like that. Sympathy is shared with the shop owners of the Bamenda main market.

Information hasn’t been gotten yet if there was any injury or anyone dead but updates will soon be posted.

Delia Nyadi