A 26-year-old man has died after being burnt in a suspected arson fire in Assin Fosu in Ghana’s Central Region, authorities say.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, when fire swept through a wooden structure in the Mempeasem area of the town. Firefighters from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) and police were called to the scene after residents raised the alarm, but the man, identified locally as Barron Guda and popularly known as “Efutu,” had already been killed by the blaze when responders arrived.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Rosemond Duncan, the Assin Fosu District Crime Officer, confirmed the man’s body was found badly burnt and has been taken to the St. Francis Xavier Hospital morgue as investigations begin to determine the exact cause of the fire.
Some neighbours have expressed suspicion that the blaze was deliberately set, saying a group of local mechanics had earlier threatened to burn the structure or evict the man amid accusations of theft from their shops. “They warned that they would burn him or drive him out,” one resident said, suggesting the fire may have been intentional.
Others have offered a different perspective, saying the blaze might have started accidentally after the victim was seen smoking shortly before the fire began, raising the possibility that a discarded cigarette ignited the wooden shack.
Tensions flared in the community after the incident, with some youths confronting police officers, demanding action against those suspected of involvement. To prevent escalation, reinforcements from the Regional Command, Divisional Police and Formed Police Unit were deployed to maintain calm.
Police say formal inquiries are ongoing to establish whether the fire was accidental or deliberate, and further details may be released as investigations continue.