Tragic Fire Claims Lives of Seven in Dunkwa Akyempim, Central Region

A devastating fire incident in Akyempim, Upper Denkyira East Municipality, has claimed the lives of seven members of a family, including five children, in the early hours of Saturday.

According to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the Dunkwa-On-Offin Fire Station received an emergency call at 1:04 a.m. and promptly dispatched a team to the scene. The crew arrived at 1:20 a.m. to find a four-bedroom house, numbered AA/5259/7534, partially engulfed in flames. One bedroom, where the victims were sleeping, was completely on fire and padlocked from the outside.

Firefighters managed to contain the blaze by 1:32 a.m., preventing it from spreading to the remaining parts of the house. Unfortunately, seven family members—including five children aged between 1 and 15, the mother, and her eldest daughter—could not be rescued in time.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the husband of the deceased woman allegedly set the bedroom on fire and locked it from the outside before fleeing to a nearby bush, where he is believed to have taken his own life. The bodies of the victims were handed over to the Ghana Police Service at Atekyim for further investigations. Police later confirmed the discovery of the suspect’s body nearby.

The Ghana National Fire Service has extended its deepest condolences to the bereaved family and emphasized the importance of fire safety awareness. The Service urges the public to remain vigilant, take preventive measures, and immediately report fire outbreaks to the nearest fire station or the GNFS emergency numbers: 112, 0201500360, or 0302772446.

The GNFS reaffirmed its commitment to saving lives and protecting properties, assuring citizens of its ongoing efforts to maintain safety standards across the country.