A devastating early morning fire has destroyed a family residence at Konta in the Wa Municipality in the Upper West Region, wiping out food stocks, cash, and household property worth millions of cedis.
The fire, which occurred on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, destroyed five rooms, a kitchen, and a store room, leaving the entire household structure severely damaged and the occupants displaced.
Beyond the structural damage, the financial losses were significant. A total of 350 bags of soya beans valued at GHC 120,000 were destroyed in the blaze, alongside GHC 50,000 in cash and two motorbikes.
Recounting the incident, an eyewitness, Kasim Abdul Nafiu, said the fire broke out around 5:30 a.m. while members of the household had briefly stepped out to pray Fajr at daybreak.
According to him, his younger brother was inside the house when his son raised the alarm after noticing flames in the hall.
Nafiu explained that the soya bean stock represented the family’s major financial investment and was among the few losses that could be clearly quantified, unlike many other household items consumed by the fire.
“We used about 1.2 billion old cedis to buy the soya. That is where we lost a lot of money,” he said.
He further indicated that by the time he returned to the house, the fire had already intensified. “He called me and I came back. Within minutes, the whole place was burning,” he recounted.
Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service responded to the scene; however, the blaze could not be contained in time to salvage any property. “All the place got burned. Everything in the house was destroyed,” Nafiu added.
In addition to the soya beans and household items, the family also lost cash withdrawn for ongoing work at Kompala, estimated at GHC 50,000, as well as an unspecified amount carried by a family member.
The cause of the fire remains unknown. Meanwhile, the affected residents are appealing for support to help them rebuild and recover from the extensive losses.
