22-year-old fire victim agonizes in pain; mourns loss of baby in fire

The only survivor in Sunday's fire that burnt down a wooden structure at Nungua, in Accra, says he is devastated by the loss of his baby boy in the fire.

The 7-month old baby is said to have been burnt to death in the fire that started about 4am on Sunday.

The boy's mother, Comfort Osei, 17, also died at the hospital shortly after being admitted there.

The 22-year-old father of the boy, named only as Adotey, who is currently on admission at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital is praying to God to heal him.

He is so devastated by the death of his son that his relatives say they lack the moral courage to break the news of the death of his wife to him.

Amidst screams of pain, he told Joy News' Michaela Anderson he had suffered to take care of his son only to lose him in the disaster.

Giving account of what caused the fire, Adotey said he lighted a candle to sleep on Saturday evening because the lights were off. His wife had visited her mother with the baby, he explained.

According to him, when she returned later in the night she forgot to put out the candle and went to bed.

He believes the candle must have burnt to the base and caught up fire while the couple and the baby were asleep.

Adotey said when he woke up from sleep, the entire structure was on fire and he had suffered burns.

He became so confused his immediate instinct was to try to escape. His wife also struggled to get out of the inferno leaving behind the baby, he narrated.

According to an eyewitness, immediately the mother realised the baby had been caught up in the inferno, she rushed back to rummage through her burning property for the baby.

Unfortunately, she was unsuccessful as neighbours discovered her badly burnt after the fire had been quenched and the baby also burnt beyond recognition.