A devastating fire has razed a 25-room house at Assin Akropong in the Assin Fosu Municipality of the Central Region, leaving a family and several tenants displaced.
The incident, which occurred while most of the occupants were away, destroyed nearly all belongings in the building, including household appliances, mattresses, clothing and other valuables estimated to be worth thousands of Ghana cedis.
The caretaker of the property, 54-year-old Ama Aboagyewaa, said she was returning from Assin Fosu when she received an urgent call informing her that the house had caught fire.
According to her, only one person was in the house when the blaze broke out, as the majority of residents were away at the time.
Although no injuries or fatalities were reported, the fire caused extensive damage to the property and left many residents counting their losses.
Mrs Aboagyewaa said some members of the community rushed to the scene and managed to rescue the lone occupant while salvaging a few belongings before the flames completely engulfed the building.
She added that personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) responded promptly to the emergency but encountered difficulties bringing the fire under control due to an inadequate water supply.
The cause of the fire is yet to be established.
Meanwhile, the Assin Fosu Municipal Fire Officer, DOI Paul Tawiah, said investigations are underway to establish the cause of the fire.
He appealed to residents to report fire outbreaks immediately, stressing that early reporting enables firefighters to respond quickly and contain the situation before it escalates, thereby reducing damage to lives and property.
Following the incident, officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), led by the Assin Fosu Municipal Director, Lawrence Darkwah Monney, visited the scene to assess the extent of the destruction and interact with affected residents.
Mr Monney assured victims that the necessary steps were being taken to secure support for those displaced by the fire. He disclosed that a detailed report had already been submitted to the Regional Office to facilitate relief assistance and other interventions for the affected households.