In the early hours of January 2, 2025, a devastating fire engulfed the Kantamanto market area, destroying at least 1,545 shops and leaving many businesses in ruins.

Eyewitnesses and victims of the disaster have since shared their accounts, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding the fire and the response from authorities.

One eyewitness, possibly a victim of the fire, recounted the harrowing events as they unfolded. “The first fire tender to come here was filled with petrol,” she claimed in a video.

“All the shops in the front lane had not caught fire. So they pretended they were dousing the flames with water, but they were only intensifying it.

“The more they poured the supposed water, the stronger the fire got. The first fire service car to get here was filled with petrol and not water.”

Her statement has sparked alarm, suggesting that the fire’s rapid spread may have been exacerbated by the actions of the fire service.

The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety protocols and preparedness of emergency responders.

The eyewitness’s account paints a picture of a tragic mishap, where vital resources were either misused or misallocated, contributing to the disaster.

In addition to the confusion around the fire response, there were concerns about an impending attack on the market prior to the elections.

The eyewitness further revealed that “when we were about to vote, we received intel about an attack on the market; so we even spoke to IGP Dampare to deploy police officers around the market to ensure safety. After the elections, we assumed the threat was over.”

This statement suggests that authorities had prior knowledge of potential danger to the market area but perhaps underestimated the risk after the elections had concluded.

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