The Fire Service in the Ashanti Region has adopted measures to reduce the turnaround time in firefighting within markets in the region.

The measures, according to the Service, are aimed at reducing costs incurred by victims of the fire.

Firefighters have been trained on the use of firefighting installations at the Kejetia Market, among other strategies to deal with fire emergencies in the city.

Over the years, fires, due to the poor setups of most markets, have ruined many sources of income.

Blockage of access routes has impeded firefighters from dousing flames in markets.

Acting Regional Fire Commander, ACFO Henry Giwah said the service is embarking on sensitisation campaigns in traditional markets in Kumasi as part of measures to deal with the problem.

“In the Bantama, Asafo, and other traditional markets, we will intensify our education to make sure they are well informed on fire prevention and even fighting the fire before we get to the scene”, he said.

Unlike many markets in the country, the Kejetia Market in Kumasi is built with firefighting installations.

Each of the two installed reservoirs in the market supplies 8000 litres of water for fire emergencies.

Though measures are well in place for firefighting, the service has taken its personnel through the technology application in the market.

“We have observed that the market has almost all the firefighting facilities so if there is any fire emergency, the smoke detectors pick them, send the signal to the control panel and a signal is sent to our officers who will react” ACFO Giwah explains.

The service is on a mission to reduce fires by sixty percent, achieving 20 percent by end of first half of the year.

Being proactive and intensifying fire education are among key strategies adopted to meet the target.