Two girls burnt to death at La in Accra

Two girls aged two and three years were on Tuesday morning burnt to death at Agbawe, a community at La in Accra. The fire also completely burnt the room and all personal belongings of their parents.

The two children, Christabel Kwarley, three years and Adjeley Adjei were left sleeping in a candle lit room by their parents who also slept in the open just outside the room.

According to the bereaved father, 36-year-old Sampson Nii Adjei Okpoti, who spoke to Joy News on his hospital bed at the La General Hospital, he woke up at about 1am to the screams of his wife, 29-year-old Gladys Sowah who first saw the fire outbreak in the single room they shared with the two children.

He said the fire burnt so intensely but in his desperation to rescue the children, who were crying from within, he ran through the blazing fire only to be blinded and suffocated.

He managed to fall back and out of the fire with serious burns on his face, neck and shoulders while the continued shouts for help by his wife drew the attention of neighbours who helped to put out the fire only after the voices of the two children had long died out in the blazing flames.

The younger of the victims is the daughter of Gladys' younger sister.

Sampson, who is on admission at the La General Hospital, told Joy News that he had retired to bed at about 9pm on Monday and as was his custom, he slept on the verandah while his wife usually kept the children company in the room.

While he slept, he said his wife decided to join him outside for some fresh air but she also fell asleep in the process, while the children slept in the room.

Assistant Superintendent of Police, Nyamekye Andane-Ameyaw in charge of the La District Police Headquarters, who confirmed the story said the bodies had been taken to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for autopsy. He expressed regret about the loss and advised the public to be cautious about the use of naked fires and other sources of light especially in this dry season to avoid such losses.

ASP Andane-Ameyaw advised users of candle to put it out before going to bed and appealed to public-spirited persons to go to the aid of the young people who he said, lost everything in the wasteful blaze.