70-year-old woman dies in Suame Magazine Zone 18 fire outbreak

Bawama Naya, a 70-year-old woman, died following a fire outbreak in the early hours of Saturday, May 16, at Suame Magazine Zone 18 in the Ashanti Region. She was reportedly trapped in the blaze when fire swept through parts of the commercial area near the garages. The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) said the incident occurred around 3:22 a.m., when the Breman Fire Station received a distress call reporting a fire involving structures, vehicles and vehicle spare parts.

Firefighters from the Breman and Komfo Anokye fire stations were dispatched to the scene under the leadership of Station Officer One Ampaabeng. The team arrived at about 3:34 a.m. and found the fire already raging. The blaze destroyed three wooden structures, three metal containers, four vehicles and nine DAF vehicle engines before it was brought under control. The responding crew used both offensive and defensive firefighting strategies, bringing the fire under control at 3:59 a.m. and fully extinguishing it at 4:51 a.m. Fire officers said their timely intervention helped save several vehicles from the fire, including three Sprinter buses, one Smiling Benz bus and one Opanka bus.

The GNFS said that "Madam Bawama Naya, aged 70, was trapped in the fire and lost her life. Her charred body was handed over to officers from the Suame District Police Command for preservation and further investigation." The cause of the fire is yet to be established, as investigations continue. The GNFS has urged operators in industrial and commercial areas to strictly adhere to fire safety precautions to avoid similar incidents that could lead to loss of life and destruction of property.