70-year-old visually impaired man dies after fire guts his house

Nii Ayitey Brown 10:23 - 16 February 2026

A 70-year-old man, Kwasi Nkansah, has died after a fire destroyed his two-bedroom home at Sefwi Adjoafua in the Western North Region. The Ghana National Fire Service says firefighters battled heavy rain and poor road conditions to contain the blaze. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

A 70-year-old man, identified as Kwasi Nkansah, has died after a fire gutted his two-bedroom home at Sefwi Adjoafua in the Western North Region, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has confirmed.

The tragic incident occurred on Saturday, 14 February 2026, claiming the life of the visually impaired resident and devastating his dwelling.

According to the GNFS, firefighters from the Debiso Fire Station responded to a distress call at about 2:06 p.m. following reports of a domestic fire at the property in Bia West District.

Despite heavy rain, poor visibility and difficult road conditions that slowed access to the scene, crews arrived within minutes and began battling the blaze.

The GNFS team succeeded in bringing the fire under control shortly after arrival and completely extinguished it by 3:03 p.m., preventing the flames from spreading to nearby houses.

Still, the fire had already consumed the structure including the attached kitchen and destroyed household belongings.The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Fire incidents in residential areas, particularly in rural and peri-urban parts of Ghana, often expose vulnerabilities in emergency access, infrastructure and preparedness.

Poor road conditions can sometimes delay the arrival of firefighters, compounding risks during emergencies. The Ghana National Fire Service continues to emphasise fire safety education, early reporting and preparedness among communities.

Nationwide, fire incidents in Ghana have repeatedly shown how quickly flames can spread and the importance of swift reporting and response.

In related events, fire crews have successfully contained large market and warehouse blazes in other parts of the country, though not all such incidents have been without loss.

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