Bamenda Main Market fire incident: Authorities visit site, promise victims compensation.

The victims have also been assured that they will be compensated in due course. This was after authorities of the region, including Governor Adolphe Lele L'afrique, the City Mayor, Paul Achobong; Mayor Chenwi Peter of Bamenda II Council and others visited the scene on Friday February 23, to access the damage.

After moving round the burnt shops, Governor Adolphe Lele L'afrique told the distressed traders that he was sent by the Presidential couple to extend their heartfelt consolation message to them.

The Governor also assured the victims that they will be compensated. Even those who incurred injuries during the fire were told that their hospital bills were going to be taken care of.

After addressing the vendors who are heartbroken, the Governor then proceeded to chair a security meeting with other authorities to redress the situation.

Commission to investigate, access damage

The vendors were equally told to prepare and make themselves available for a commission to record what they lost in the fire. The commission is also expected to investigate and reveal the exact cause of the fire.

New and safer shops would be constructed by the City Council to avoid such incidents in the future.

"Half of the market was protected. Unfortunately, close to 300 shops were destroyed by the fire. It is still a temporary figure. We are waiting for the access of the commission for exact numbers. The victims are going to be assisted, they should prepare themselves to go to the commission and declare the content of their shops, because we are going to see how the government can assist them," Governor Adolphe Lele said. It was also agreed that a solidarity support fund be contributed to assist the vendors.

Victims in shock, huge material loss

On Friday morning, victims were pictured in tears as they accessed their losses. Some businesspersons who were not around the evening when the fire broke out, lost every item in their shops. Some who were around were able to save a few items that night.

"Here is my mother's shop; it's just last week that I opened the other one, plus my own main shop over there. Everything has been consumed by fire. I am just confused for now," a victim, who preferred not to be named, lamented.

The Chief of Centre for the Army Rescue in Bamenda, Senior Warrant Officer Taku Paul, who has been on the scene since Thursday night with his team, said about 300 shops were completely consumed by the fire. It was equally revealed that about 30 persons were received in health facilities as a result of the incident.

The fire incident proper

On Thursday February 22 at about 5:30 p.m., wild fire engulfed the Bamenda Main Market. Witnesses said the incident generated from a particular shop, though they were unable to get the exact cause of the fire.

The Guardian Post gathered from sources that all efforts to stop the fire at the early stage by vendors were futile, as it took the firefighters about 30 minutes to arrive the scene. It took the firefighters the whole night and Friday morning to arrest the situation.

After the incident, several persons and groups, including the CPDM senators from the region and the Archbishop of Bamenda have been sending words of comfort to the victims. 

The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Front, SDF, Joshua Osih, visiting the market on Saturday, assured the victims that they will be compensated. Since January 2024, the town of Bamenda has witnessed about nine fire incidents, according to Senior Warrant Officer Taku Paul.