A fire outbreak on Monday night at the sprawling slum settlement located adjacent the Asoprochona railway station at Sakumono on has left hundreds homeless.
Della Russel Ocloo reports that the fire, which eyewitnesses say began around 7 pm rapidly consumed the densely packed wooden structures that comprised the settlement, leaving a trail of debris and shattered lives.
The affected area, estimated to cover a 100-meter stretch and 40 meters in width, was home to numerous families.
The rapid spread of the flames, fueled by the predominantly wooden construction of the homes and close proximity of the structures, left residents with little time to salvage their belongings.
The incident some residents within the Sakumono area believes serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of informal settlements, underscoring the urgent need for improved housing and safety measures.
Some eyewitnesses told Graphic Online around 9pm at the scene that women and children especially had to flee the raging fire in search of safety amidst the chaos.
Fire fighters
The intensity of the blaze necessitated a response from the Ghana National Fire Service. According to the Tema Regional Operations Officer, DO II Fiifi Oppong, four fire tenders were dispatched from four different fire stations across the Tema, Nungua and the Spintex Road, and firefighters battled for nearly two hours to bring the inferno under control.
The aftermath of the disaster painted a grim picture with the once vibrant slum reduced to ruins with burnt corrugated iron sheets, charred wood, and ash were all that remained of homes that once sheltered families and held their worldly possessions.
Residents, many of whom were young people and children, were seen seated behind the fence surrounding the Mouth Zion Methodist Church, while some stood in bewilderment at the scene wondering where to spend the night.
Some distraught residents were also seen sifting through the debris around desperately hoping to recover any remnants of their lives at the time of the visit by this reporter.
An eyewitness, Godwin Asalatu, whose side of the slum was spared by the fire due to the firemen’s intervention, told this reporter that his friend, who is preparing for his father’s burial in the coming weeks, lost all the items and money he had saved for the funeral, as well as his personal belongings.
“I have lost everything including the lace fabrics I usually hawk to support my family, a teary mother of two who only gave her name as Amina told this reporter.
Cause of fire
Officials of the fire service could not readily declare the cause of the fire, as they were yet to commence their investigations.
Some residents however speculated about potential electrical faults or unattended cooking fires as possible triggers.
