ECG Denies Power Surge

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has refuted allegations that the fire outbreak that led to the death of four children at Nsunfa near Sowutoum on Monday was caused by a power surge.

According to David Asamoah, an ECG engineer stationed in the area, at the time of the fire outbreak, there were no lights in the entire area.

In a telephone interview with DAILY GUIDE, he said the power went out around 7:05pm and came back on after 10:00pm that fateful day.

'The fire started around 7:30pm and I even went to the scene before heading home,' he said.

He added: 'Nobody can attribute the cause of the fire that led to the death of the kids to a power surge.'

Meanwhile, residents in the area who spoke with this paper at the time of our visit, claim the fire began immediately the lights came back on.

Residents said for the past few weeks they have been experiencing power outages.

Mr. Asamoah however explained that the ECG was putting up a new station in the area and that the power usually goes off when there is work going on.

It would be recalled that four children, three of whom were siblings, died in a fire that engulfed a three bedroom house at Nsunfa near Sowutuom in Accra late Monday.

The bodies of the deceased persons were charred beyond recognition.

Three of the children had been in the care of their grandmother for the past four years until the fateful incident suspected to have been triggered by a sudden surge in electric power when electricity was restored to the house following a power outage.

The bodies of Eugene Aidoo 5, Linnet Brenya 9, Freda Brenya Jnr 6, and Fiifi Halm, 5 were burnt beyond recognition while Bismarck Auther, a rescuer who sustained severe burns, is receiving treatment at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

According to Mabel Asante, grandmother of the children, she went to see her landlord for rent settlement when the incident happened.

She also debunked claims that the fire was started by a candle.

'Before I left, I lighted a rechargeable lamp for the children to do their homework,' she said.