A devastating fire has destroyed a 10-room storey building at Berekum in the Bono Region, leaving several occupants homeless, including students of the Berekum College of Education (BECOLED).
The blaze reduced personal belongings to ashes, with victims losing laptops, books, academic certificates, learning materials, clothing and other valuables.
The affected students described the incident as a major setback, saying it comes at a critical stage of their academic journey with only about two months left to complete their studies.
The landlord, Nana Osei Amankwaa, said he was asleep when neighbours alerted him that the building was on fire.
According to him, he rushed outside only to find the house engulfed in flames.
He alleged that repeated calls to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) station in Berekum did not receive an immediate response because the station’s fire tender was out of service.
LocalGhana News
He said a fire tender was later dispatched from Sunyani, but by the time firefighters arrived, a significant portion of the building had already been destroyed.
One of the affected students, Prince Ofosu Agyemang, said the victims had lost virtually everything they needed to complete their academic programme and were uncertain about how they would continue their education.
The victims have appealed to the government, corporate organisations, philanthropists and the general public to support them with relief items and financial assistance to help them rebuild their lives and continue their studies.
Meanwhile, the cause of the fire is yet to be established, with investigations underway.
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