A fire ravaged part of the municipal market in the city of Independence on the night of June 3 to 4, 2024, seriously affecting food and fabric merchants. At 8 a.m., the fire continued to consume a fabric depot. Residents desperately tried to save goods using a water truck, while merchants, devastated by the loss of their goods, expressed their despair.
Merchants in tears complain that they have lost everything and say that the banks will throw them in prison because, they say, they will not be able to repay their loans. They denounce the state authorities who never take their responsibilities in such circumstances. The chaotic scene around the market was marked by attempts by young men to break down a gate to allow access for a water truck, in a desperate effort to contain the flames.
The director general of the town hall, Me Kesler Pierre-Charles, called for a judicial investigation to determine the cause of this fire of unknown origin and promised measures to help the victims. He spoke of the economic difficulties preventing the repair of fire trucks and the creation of a fire brigade. This fire marks the third time since 2009 that the municipal market has been affected by a disaster, highlighting the persistent vulnerability of local infrastructure.
