A fire of rare violence struck Kousseri, in the Far North region of Cameroon, on the night of Tuesday, March 4, to Wednesday, March 5, 2026, destroying several businesses. The disaster ravaged approximately five kiosks located between the BICEC agency of Kousseri and the Al Markaz pharmacy.
The flames caused significant material and financial damage to the affected traders. The origin of the fire remains unknown, but witnesses suggest the possibility of a short circuit.
The rapid intervention of the firefighters made it possible to control the flames and prevent the fire from spreading further, thus limiting the damage. The authorities have not yet communicated on possible support measures for the affected traders.
This fire occurs in a context where Cameroonian markets are regularly affected by disasters. In March 2021, a fire had already ravaged the central market of Kousseri, destroying more than 23 shops and causing losses estimated at one billion FCFA. Similar fires have been reported in other cities of Cameroon, often linked to dilapidated electrical installations and the illegal occupation of space. The Cameroonian government had announced a plan to build modern markets to combat this phenomenon.
Kousseri is located in the Far North region of Cameroon.
