Fire outbreak displaces dozens at Asokore Mampong

Dozens of dwellers at a Nima-Moke, in Asokore Mampong of the Ashanti region, have been displaced following a fire outbreak.
So far, no life has been reported lost as a result of the incident.
Nima-Moke, is a slum in the Asokore Mampong Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
The fire, which began around 4:30 p.m., on Friday January 17, 2024, destroyed over 50 wooden structures that served as home for the people.
Mariama, who witnessed the start, shared what she saw, saying, “The blaze spread quickly due to the presence of flammable materials in the area, which is home to people believed to be migrants from northern Ghana seeking better economic opportunities.”
Most of the affected residents were away at the market or their workplaces when the fire broke out, leaving them unable to save their belongings
Families, including children, were rendered homeless and unsure of where to find shelter.
The fire outbreak was about the second to have ravaged the slum, as a similar fire incident occurred in 2020 displacing many residents and destroying valuable possessions.
It comes barely two weeks after a devastating fire broke out at Dagomba Line in Asawaase, claiming the life of a 3-year-old boy who was sleeping in a room with his 12-year-old sister.
Eyewitnesses said the sister escaped the inferno but failed to alert anyone, leaving the boy trapped inside.
Neighbours who noticed the fire were unable to reach the fire department, believing that access to the area was limited.
Instead, they banded together to extinguish the flames. The boy’s parents were not at home at the time of the incident, having not yet returned from work.
Preliminary reports from neighbours suggested that the fire might have been caused by a faulty electrical connection, although that has not been officially confirmed.
FROM KINGSLEY E. HOPE, KUMASI