Pastor burnt to death in fire outbreak

Bawku (U/E), June 5, GNA - A Pastor of Christ Gospel International, formerly, Church of Nazareth, Mr. Robert Ennin, burnt to death on Saturday night in a blaze that engulfed the house he was living in at Gingande, a suburb of Bawku.

The house also served as official chamber for a law firm, Koi Larbi and Co. Associates, established by the Member of Parliament for Zebilla, Mr John Ndebugri.

Pastor Ennin, 52, reportedly returned from a colleague's funeral at about 1900 hours and had bought some food to eat when the fire broke out.

Properties of the occupants valued at hundreds of thousand were destroyed, the local fire officers said. Speaking to reporters, the Bawku Fire Officer, Mr. John Atubiga said the fire started in the deceased's room at about l930 hours and spread to adjoining rooms.

He said the occupants delayed in reporting the fire outbreak to his outfit, adding that they only did so after they tried unsuccessfully to put it off.

Mr. Atubiga said although his outfit was yet to determine the cause of the fire, it could not have been linked to electricity because the house had been disconnected of power due to the non-payment of bills. The body has been deposited at the Bawku hospital. Last Saturday's blaze brings to five the number of fire outbreaks in the Bawku municipality within the last two months, claming lives and destroying properties valued at more than one billion cedis.