Additional Coverage:
- Before and after photos show how a fire destroyed a market where much of the world’s secondhand clothes end up (newsbreak.com)
A massive fire has devastated Kantamanto Market, one of the largest secondhand clothing markets in the world located in Accra, Ghana. The blaze destroyed up to two-thirds of the market, leaving thousands of clothing traders without stalls.
Kantamanto Market receives about 15 million garments weekly and employs around 30,000 people. The fire has brought attention to the lack of waste alternatives in the global fashion industry, as Accra has struggled with textile waste accumulation.
Advocacy groups have urged the industry to provide assistance to rebuild and sustain the market. The Or Foundation has pledged $1 million and established a fund to raise money for vendors. Cleanup efforts are underway, but the cause of the fire is still being investigated.