A fierce early-morning fire has destroyed dozens of makeshift wooden homes in Asawase Pelele slum, displacing hundreds of residents, many of them migrant workers and head porters.
The blaze broke out around dawn on Thursday, August 27, 2026, tearing through the densely packed enclave, home largely to metal scrap dealers and kayayei (female head porters), and reducing their shelters to ashes within hours.
Among the hardest hit are young mothers with infants and men who had travelled from northern Ghana to the Ashanti Region in search of work. With their possessions and roofs gone, many spent the day sifting through debris, uncertain of where they would sleep tonight.
Firefighters from the Ghana National Fire Service were alerted at 6:03 a.m. and arrived at the scene by 6:17 a.m., but the slum’s narrow, labyrinthine layout severely hampered their response. Fire tenders could not reach the core of the blaze, forcing crews to battle the flames from a distance.
“The congestion here is extreme. We couldn’t get close enough to the seat of the fire quickly enough,” said DO III Wikana Daniel, Municipal Fire Commander for Asokore Mampong.
He confirmed that crews managed to bring the inferno under control at approximately 7:13 a.m., preventing it from spreading to neighbouring communities.
While no casualties have been reported, the incident has reignited concerns about fire safety in informal settlements across the region.
Commander Daniel appealed to the public to give precise location details when reporting emergencies, noting that vague descriptions often cost valuable response time.
“When you call, tell us the nearest landmark or accessible route. That small detail can save lives and property,” he stressed.
The Assembly Member for the area has called for immediate relief support, including temporary shelter, food, and bedding, as displaced families now seek refuge with relatives and in nearby schools.
Efforts are underway by the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to assess the full extent of the damage and coordinate emergency aid.
