Fire renders 57 homeless

Fifty-seven persons were rendered homeless and property worth several millions of cedis was destroyed when fire engulfed two semi-detached houses at Asamankese Sabon Zongo on Friday.

Among items destroyed were television sets, refrigerators, furniture and cash of about 10 million cedis.

When personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service at Asamankese were called, they complained there was no fire tender and informed the Regional Fire Office at Koforidua for assistance.

Fire volunteers at Asamankese, however, helped in bringing the fire under control before personnel of the Koforidua Fire Service arrived on the scene.

Speaking to the Ghana News agency (GNA), Mr Baba Amadu Saabiru, one of the victims, said he was outside the house when he saw smoke coming out of a section of the block.

He said he raised the alarm but before the volunteers could mobilise buckets of water and sand, the fire had caused considerable damage.

Mr Saabiru said it took the volunteers three hours to put off the fire.

Other inmates were said to be out of home during the outbreak.

The Fire Service is investigating the cause of the outbreak, while the displaced persons are putting up with friends and relatives.

Meanwhile, Mr Amoako Larbi, District co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), has visited the scene to assess the extent of damage for possible assistance.