A fire outbreak at Shiashie in Accra has destroyed many makeshift structures, rendering scores of slum-dwellers homeless.
Squatters in the area have been forced to seek shelter at a nearby church following the tragic incident.
“I can say it’s about 100 kiosks. There’s no interval in between the kiosks, thus causing the fire to spread faster,” an eyewitness told the Accra-based Citi FM.
“Those in the kiosks all came out when they saw the fire. I think it started in one of the kiosks and extended to other parts.”
Staff of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) are said to have struggled initially to contain the fire but managed to douse it just before 3am on Saturday.
Investigations under way
The public relations officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, Ellis Robinson Okoe, said the cause of the fire is not yet known.
He said residents in the area have given contradicting accounts, adding that investigations are ongoing to determine the true cause of the fire.
“Since yesterday, we have been trying to douse the fire. We extinguished the fire at 2.57am this morning,” he said.
“But then, I came here this morning for observation and I realised that there are small pockets of fire within that could escalate so I have called my men to ensure that everything is doused before we leave here.
“We are conducting investigations into the cause of the fie. We have about 6,000 occupants here and they are giving us different versions of what happened. So we are putting all those together to know the cause of the fire.”
Pray for victims
Meanwhile, John Dumelo, the parliamentary candidate of the opposition NDC for the constituency that covers Shiashie, Ayawaso West Wuogon, has commiserated with the victims of the fire.
He called on the public to remember the squatters – many of whom have lost their homes – in their prayers.
In a post on Twitter, he shared a photo of himself comforting a child, accompanied by the caption: “Please say a prayer for Shiashie fire victims”.
In a separate interview describing what he saw at the scene, Dumelo said: “When I got here there were two fire tenders. Thirty minutes after, they ordered for about two more. The fire personnel are ensuring that things are under control.
“Several people have provision shops here. As for the businesses, I’m sure about 40 small-scale businesses might have been affected. Personal belongings have also been lost. It’s a sad day for Shiashie,” Dumelo said.
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