Two kids die through suspected arson

Two children, a boy and a girl, have died of severe burns they sustained when fire swept through their house at Obogu in the Asante-Akim South District.

Their mother, Yaa Ataa, survived the fire and is responding to treatment at the Agogo Presbyterian Hospital.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Samuel Sandow Latebu, the District Commander, who confirmed the incident to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said they suspected arson.

This happened in the early hours of last Monday and is believed to have been deliberately started, using an inflammable substance.

The Police Commander said they would go to every length to track down and arrest the offender to bring him to justice.

He appealed to the people to provide them with useful leads.

The attacker was said to have knocked on the door of the woman at about 0200 hours and she opened it only to be asked by the yet-to-be identified man, if the husband was in.

Before she could respond, he lit a match stick, threw the burning stick to the ground and the entire house was engulfed in flames.

Ataa gathered courage and dashed into the room, where the deceased kids were sleeping and managed to bring them out but they had already sustained terrible burns.

Kwadwo Nyamekye, eight, and his younger sister, Adwoa Asantewaa, together with the mother were rushed to the Juaso District Hospital, where they were referred to the Agogo Government Hospital.

They could not pull through and died of their wounds. Their bodies had been deposited at the hospital’s mortuary for autopsy.

Mr. De-graft Fokuo, the District Chief Executive (DCE), has already visited to commiserate and to show solidarity with the family.