Fire at the “Camp des Polices Militaires” market in Mont-Ngafula: an economic disaster for traders
On a sad night from Monday 21 to Tuesday 22 August 2023, a fire ravaged the “Camp des Police Militaires” market in Mont-Ngafula, causing considerable damage. More than forty commercial houses and around three hundred tables were engulfed in flames, leaving traders in a desperate situation.
According to initial information, the exact cause of this fire is not yet known. The houses and tables, mostly made of wood, were quickly engulfed by the flames which spread in a destructive manner. Pelé Bofina, administrator of the Camp PM market, told the media: “It is impossible to give the exact number of victims. We receive them continuously. Otherwise, we have already recorded around forty commercial houses and nearly three hundred tables having caught fire .”
Although no loss of life was reported, many traders lost everything in this tragedy. The testimonies of the victims are heartbreaking. A woman who had a butcher shop in the market lamented: “I lost everything I had, including a freezer, bags of semolina, fufu and corn, as well as items belonging to other people who found in my butcher shop.” Another trader, who had just bought items to resell, expressed her deep pain: “I received this bad news when I had just bought some goods in Maluku. Arriving here, I realize that all this that was in the house was consumed by fire. It is what I have just bought that is left with me.”
Faced with this disaster, it is crucial that aid and support measures are put in place quickly to help affected traders. It is also important to understand the causes of this fire to avoid future similar tragedies in other markets.
Unfortunately, the absence of fire vehicles on the scene is a reality that is difficult to ignore. This raises questions about the prevention and security measures put in place to protect the property and lives of traders.
This fire at the “Camp des Police Militaires” market in Mont-Ngafula is a tragedy which will have a major economic impact on traders who have lost their means of subsistence. It is essential that local authorities and relevant stakeholders work together to support these traders in their reconstruction and allow them to resume their activities.
Pending new information on the cause of this fire, it is important to stress the urgency of strengthening security and prevention measures in the city’s markets, in order to avoid such disasters in the future.