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31.01.2012 General News

5 Killed In Mysterious Fire Outbreak

31.01.2012 LISTEN
By Kwame Asare Boadu - Daily Graphic

Curious residents of Breman besieged the burnt house where the five diedFive persons have died and two others sustained serious burns in a suspected arson attack carried out by a 54-year-old man in his house at Breman Kwantwima, a suburb of Kumasi at dawn Monday.

The incident threw the whole community into a state of shock and mourning as people wondered why afamily man could carry out such a dastardly act that killed his wife and children, and his biological parents.

Samuel Agyeman, the man who allegedly carried out the brutal attack is said to be at large and police are hunting for him.

Those dead include Afia Agyeiwaa, 50, wife of the suspect and two of their children. One of the children was identified as K. Brother, 12 but the other said to be about 22 years of age was not immediately known.

The two others killed in the inferno were the biological parents of the suspect.

Their names were given as Opanin Agyeman Tawiah and Madam Soti Modey, both in their 80s.

The injured, two, also children of the suspect were on admission at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).

Their names were not immediately known but were said to be about 27 and 24 years of age.

Neighbours cited divorce threat from the wife as the likely cause of the brutal attack.

Eyewitnesses told the Daily Graphic that Samuel lived in his house with the wife and children, as well as his parents including the ailing mother.

For some time now, the couple had been quarrelling with Agyeiwaa threatening divorce whilst the man threatened to burn the house.

On Sunday night, neighbours said they saw the man in the house but nothing showed he was preparing for any attack.

At about 3 am Monday, they said, a plume of smoke was seen drifting into the skies from Samuel’s house and many people rushed to the scene.

The fire had then become uncontrollable and before fire personnel were called in to save the situation, the five persons had already died.

Two others who were still alive had serious burns and were rushed to the hospital for medical attention.

What heightened suspicion of arson was that the main door to the house was locked from behind whilst Agyeman was no where to be found.

Police were informed and they had since begun investigations into the matter while the suspect was being hunted for.

The remains of the deceased have been deposited at the KATH morgue pending autopsy.

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