The Tombolia district was the scene of a devastating fire which ravaged several shops located along the road, precisely in Ponkôma, not far from the rails. This umpteenth fire caused a scene of desolation and distraught traders. The events took place in the afternoon of Friday, September 27, 2024, causing panic and chaos within the community. According to testimonies, the control of the flames was possible thanks to the combined efforts of the populations.
The origins of the fire!
Mohamed Keita, owner of the courtyard next to the affected shops, remembers with horror the events which led to this disaster. “I was sitting right there when I saw children running around shouting ‘fire, fire’,” he said.
Alerted by the screams, he immediately left his home to head to a nearby paycar, where a woman was selling gasoline. At this location, a flaming stove was surrounded by cans of gasoline, constituting a dangerous cocktail. “It was practically there that the fire started to spread towards the shops,” he explains.
Invaluable losses!
The material damage is considerable. Asked about the losses, Mr. Keita returned, without enough details, to some details of the objects lost by the boutique properties.
“I cannot clearly define the losses,” confides Mohamed Keita, “but there is a gentleman who took over my store and who resells cosmetic products. Almost everything was lost.”
According to him, the few goods that were able to be saved were thanks to the rapid intervention of local residents, who mobilized with buckets of water.
“There were no firefighters on site to control the flames,” he said.
Mamadou Alpha Diallo, one of the affected shopkeepers, also testifies to the scale of the disaster. “It’s not a matter of a million, but of several million. Just yesterday, I received new products: milk in sachets, juice, sugar, cereals, boxes of mayonnaise and many other essential foods. Unfortunately, it was all reduced to ashes. Although there was no loss of cash, but many valuable items were consumed by the flames,” he described.
A mobilized community!
Despite the extent of the damage, the solidarity of residents was noted. Residents rushed to help put out the fire with the means at hand, while others brought buckets of water in a desperate attempt to limit the damage. Mohamed underlines the importance of this collective aid: “Without this mobilization, the situation could have been much worse.”
Call for prevention!
This tragic incident raises critical questions about safety and fire prevention in commercial areas. Retailer stories highlight the urgent need for better security infrastructure, as well as the need for risk management training for shop owners.
Sâa Robert Koundouno
(+224) 620-546-653
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