A day after the fire outbreak, Abuja, a slum community near Accra Central, is left in devastation and its residents traumatized and many rendered homeless.
The affected area is approximately the size of half a football field.
Metal containers and burned wooden and brick structures still stand amidst piles of charred roofing materials and debris.
The ash-covered ground, while wet, still emits great amounts of heat, as small pockets of fire and smoke can be seen scattered around the area around.
Among the structures destroyed are shops, homes of residents and mini-warehouses. The residents of the area have kept busy gathering the few items they can find among the wreckage.
Some residents were seen seated around, surveying the scene, while others stand in shock.
One of the residents, Kalifah, whose sister lost her 8-month-old son in the fire, shared some of her frustrations with Citi News.
“We couldn’t pick up anything,” she said. “Everything we had we just lost. We slept outside here.”
The unnamed baby is currently believed to have been the only casualty. It is suspected that a wooden structure collapsed on him during the fire.
The fire is believed to have started around 8:00pm on the night of the 14th of July.
According to the local chief, Alhassan Malik, the cause of the fire was most likely a candle that had been left unsupervised by a young woman that night. Once the fire had been discovered, it was already out of control.
Mr. Malik also mentioned that the residents were cautioned by the mayor of Accra, Alfred Okoe Vanderpuyie, not to begin rebuilding structures until after he makes a personal visit to Abuja.
This has sparked rumors of a possible demolition in the area, though Mr. Malik remains skeptical.
“People are saying rumors, rumors everyday that there will be a demolition here,” said Malik. “I say it’s a rumor.”
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By: Franziska Monahan/citifmonline.com/Ghana