A devastating fire tore through a sprawling slum near the Asoprochona railway station in Sakumono on Monday night, leaving hundreds of residents homeless and destroying dozens of makeshift homes.
The blaze, which reportedly started around 7 p.m., quickly engulfed the tightly packed wooden structures that made up the settlement. The flames, fanned by the flammable materials and close proximity of the dwellings, spread rapidly, leaving residents with little time to react.
Eyewitnesses said panic swept through the community as residents—many of them women and children—fled for safety. “It was chaos. Everyone was running, screaming. People were trying to grab their children and a few belongings, but the fire moved too fast,” a resident narrated.
The affected area is estimated to span a stretch of 100 meters by 40 meters and houses dozens of families. In the aftermath, the settlement was reduced to charred remains—twisted metal sheets, burnt timber, and ash-covered debris.
Emergency response teams from the Ghana National Fire Service, led by Tema Regional Operations Officer DO II Fiifi Oppong, deployed four fire tenders from fire stations across Tema, Nungua, and Spintex. Firefighters battled the inferno for nearly two hours before managing to bring it under control.
As night fell, many displaced residents gathered outside the fenced perimeter of the Mount Zion Methodist Church, sitting in shock or searching the rubble for anything salvageable.
The cause of the fire has not yet been officially determined. Fire officials say investigations will begin soon, although some residents suspect an electrical fault or an unattended cooking fire may have triggered the blaze.
The incident has renewed calls for improved safety standards and better housing options for residents of informal settlements, who remain vulnerable to such disasters.
