{"id":134828,"date":"2015-07-15T14:56:21","date_gmt":"2015-07-15T14:56:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=134828"},"modified":"2015-07-15T14:56:21","modified_gmt":"2015-07-15T14:56:21","slug":"abuja-slum-residents-warned-against-rebuilding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2015\/07\/abuja-slum-residents-warned-against-rebuilding\/","title":{"rendered":"Abuja slum residents warned against rebuilding"},"content":{"rendered":"
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.<\/p>\n
The affected area is approximately the size of half a football field.<\/p>\n
Metal containers and burned wooden and brick structures still stand amidst piles of charred roofing materials and debris.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Some residents were seen seated around, surveying the scene, while others stand in shock.<\/p>\n One of the residents, Kalifah, whose sister lost her 8-month-old son in the fire, shared some of her frustrations with Citi News<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe couldn\u2019t pick up anything,\u201d she said. \u201cEverything we had we just lost. We slept outside here.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n The fire is believed to have started around 8:00pm on the night of the 14th of July.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n