A Fire Roars through Kantamanto: A Tragedy with Far-Reaching Implications
On January 3rd, 2025, a devastating fire broke out at Kantamanto Market, Accra, Ghana—a global hub for the second-hand clothing trade. This tragic event destroyed hundreds of stalls, leaving traders and their families in financial ruin. As the world watches and responds, the disaster raises pressing questions about market safety, the impact of fast fashion, and ways to build a more resilient future (CNN, 2025).
Some shop owners clearing their stalls of metal scraps during the fire_photographed by Julius Tornyi_The Or Foundation
What Happened?
In the early hours of January 3, flames engulfed Kantamanto Market, one of the world’s largest second-hand clothing markets (The World from PRX, 2025). The fire spread rapidly, fuelled by tightly packed textiles and wooden stalls. Despite swift efforts by firefighters and community members, hundreds of stalls were destroyed (CNN, 2025). According to the “Or Foundation”, over 60% of the market has been destroyed by the fire and over 10.000 people lost their stalls were they were working in (The Or Foundation, 2025).
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, though initial reports suggest it may have been triggered by an electrical fault or improperly discarded flammable materials (Forbes, 2025). Tragically, this is not the first time the market has suffered from such an incident, highlighting systemic safety issues (The Business & Financial Times, 2025).
Kantamanto is more than a marketplace; it’s a lifeline for thousands of Ghanaians and a critical node in the global second-hand clothing industry (Brooks, 2019). It handles tons of imported clothing weekly, providing affordable fashion to locals while reducing textile waste (Tranberg Hansen, 2000).
Implications of the Fire
Social Impact
The Kantamanto fire has left thousands of traders in financial ruin, affecting not only individuals but entire families and communities (OkayAfrica, 2025). The market is a cornerstone of livelihood for many, especially women, who make up a significant proportion of the traders (The Or Foundation, 2025). These women often serve as sole breadwinners, using their earnings to support extended families, pay school fees, and provide basic necessities (The Business & Financial Times, 2025).
The loss of stalls means the loss of both inventory and spaces to conduct business. For many traders, the goods destroyed represented their life savings (The World from PRX, 2025). As Kantamanto operates largely as an informal market, most traders lack insurance or access to financial safety nets. Without external support, they face an uphill battle to recover (CNN, 2025).
The fire has also disrupted the tightly knit social fabric of the market. Kantamanto is more than a business hub; it’s a community where traders share resources, advice, and emotional support (Tranberg Hansen, 2000). For many, the market functions as a second home. The physical destruction of the market has also left a void in this critical sense of community (The Or Foundation, 2025).
Additionally, the fire threatens to widen inequalities in Ghana. Traders who were already vulnerable—such as those who had recently entered the market or were working on credit—now face mounting debts without a way to repay them (The Business & Financial Times, 2025). As the informal sector bears the brunt of this disaster, it underscores the lack of systemic protections for millions of Ghanaians who work outside the formal economy (Brooks, 2019).
Ecological Consequences
Kantamanto is also a key player in global efforts to address the fast fashion crisis. By reselling and upcycling imported second-hand clothing, the market prevents millions of garments from ending up in landfills (Fletcher, 2014). The fire not only destroyed these efforts but also created an environmental hazard, with burnt textiles and debris releasing harmful pollutants into the air and soil (The Business & Financial Times, 2025).
This tragedy is a stark reminder of the unsustainable practices in the global fashion industry. The reliance on African markets to offload clothing waste is not a sustainable solution—it’s a system that fails both people and the planet when disasters strike (Brooks, 2019).
What Can You Do to Help?
Support Relief Efforts
The Or Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in the US and Ghana, has stepped forward to aid Kantamanto Market traders. They have donated GHS 1 million (around 65.000€) to the rebuilding efforts and are actively working with local authorities and stakeholders to restore the market (The Or Foundation, 2025). However, more financial donations are desperately needed to cover the costs that the fire has caused!
You can directly contribute to The Or Foundation’s initiatives by donating through their platform. You can make your donation here. Your donations will help fund the reconstruction of stalls, provide financial relief to traders, and support long-term sustainability projects aimed at reducing fire risks in the future (The Or Foundation, 2025). Visit The Or Foundation’s website to learn more and make a donation.
Rethink Your Fashion Choices
As consumers, we can help reduce the strain on markets like Kantamanto by generally buying fewer clothes, and focus on buying high quality garments that last us a long time. (Fletcher, 2014). Consider donating quality, wearable clothes instead of items that are torn or unusable (Tranberg Hansen, 2000). Torn and unusable garments should be discarded at specific waste collection facilities that take destroyed clothing to prevent it from ending up on landfill, e.g., on Ghana’s beaches.
Advocate for Change
Raise awareness about the importance of Kantamanto and its traders. Advocate for policies that regulate the fast fashion industry, improve marketplace safety, and ensure fair working conditions for those in the second-hand trade (Brooks, 2019). We can personally recommend also to look for local demonstrations against fast fashion and join those as well!
Volunteer or Partner
If you’re part of an organization, consider partnering with initiatives focused on market rebuilding, waste management, or skill-building for traders (OkayAfrica, 2025).
Finally, if you feel like you need more info or you just want to talk about this topic with someone, feel free to contact us on Instagram! We will be happy to get in touch with you.
References
Brooks, A. (2019). Clothing poverty: The hidden world of fast fashion and second-hand clothes. Zed Books.
CNN. (2025, January 3). Huge fire at Ghanaian clothing market destroys hundreds of market stalls. Retrieved from https://edition.cnn.com
Fletcher, K. (2014). Sustainable fashion and textiles: Design journeys. Routledge.
Forbes. (2025, January 6). Calls for fashion brands to donate to Kantamanto Market fire relief fund. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com
OkayAfrica. (2025). After a massive fire, traders at Ghana's Kantamanto Market are forging ahead. Retrieved from https://www.okayafrica.com
The Business & Financial Times. (2025, January 11). Flames of controversy: Unpacking social reactions, impacts, and pathways to resilience in Accra’s Kantamanto Market. Retrieved from https://thebftonline.com
The Or Foundation. (2025). Rebuilding Kantamanto Market. Retrieved from https://www.theor.org
The World from PRX. (2025, January 10). Traders in Ghana face uncertain future after world's largest secondhand clothing hub razed in fire. Retrieved from https://theworld.org
Tranberg Hansen, K. (2000). Salaula: The world of secondhand clothing and Zambia. University of Chicago Press.
Images
All credits for the images used in this blog go to the “The Or Foundation". They have been provided to us upon request. They own the copyrights to all images used.
Image 1: Some shop owners clearing their stalls of metal scraps during the fire_photographed by Julius Tornyi_The Or Foundation
Image 2: Kantamanto Market Before Fire Outbreak_photographed by Enoch Nsoh_The Or Foundation
Image 3: Kantamanto Market After Fire Outbreak_photographed by Julius Tornyi_The Or Foundation