Two fire outbreaks took residents of Bamenda unawares this Wednesday evening, causing significant damage to shops, offices, and a home.
The first fire occurred at the end of Tar Longla, where flames engulfed the home of a man identified as Mr. Polycap.
Neighbours and passersby quickly rallied to contain the fire, managing to prevent extensive damage.
While the cause of the fire remains unclear, eyewitnesses praised the swift response of the local population in mitigating the situation.
Just hours later, another fire broke out at Commercial Avenue, this time affecting electronic shops and offices.
The fire outbreak caused considerable losses, with property owners lamenting the destruction of goods and equipment.
Despite multiple calls to army rescue, no firefighting unit arrived at the scene, forcing volunteers to intervene.
“We called them unsuccessfully and had to put our efforts together to salvage the situation. Our efforts are not enough,” said one of the volunteers.
As of now, the fire is still consuming livelihoods at Commercial Avenue, while the population is using what is available to help the situation.
The fire outbreak at Commercial Avenue has also exposed ongoing challenges with emergency response in the city.
Fire outbreaks are common in Bamenda and other cities in Cameroon, but slow response usually leads to extensive damages.
Bamenda experienced one of its worst fire outbreaks in recent memory on February 22, 2024.
That was when flames engulfed the city’s main market, consumed several shops, and devastated dozens of traders.
Smaller fire outbreaks have continued to occur in the city, claiming livelihoods and further impoverishing a population that has been reeling from an eight-year armed conflict.
The city’s inhabitants say authorities need to do more to prevent fire outbreaks and boost emergency response measures.
