For the second time on September 9, fire has swept through the vulnerable European Town Railway community, popularly known as Rails Mu, in Sekondi-Takoradi.
The Tuesday dawn blaze destroyed about 50 wooden structures, including a church, displacing scores of residents, among them commercial sex workers who operate within the enclave.
The incident mirrors a similar inferno that gutted the same area exactly three years ago, during an attempt by city authorities to clear the settlement.
Amid the charred remains, eyewitnesses called for a full-scale investigation into the recurring fires.
“I was asleep when someone called me that my sister’s place was burning, and when I came, I realised it was true. I remembered today was 9th September, similar to an incident that occurred here three years ago. I don’t understand why this place gets burnt every 9th September, so the authorities should do something about it.”
Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Abubakar Karmal, said they had engaged the community on fire safety barely six weeks ago.
“On the 18th of July this year, together with my team at the Metro level, we came here and organized the settlers here in our sensitization drive to let them see some of the things that they are doing that may cause disaster, as in fire and flooding.”
“From the report that we gathered, the fire, according to eyewitnesses, started from one of the wooden structures. They said they were using candles.”
Metro Fire Officer DO1 Michael Tetteh said his team worked tirelessly to stop the flames from spreading to other areas.
“When we came, the entire area had been engulfed, but the concentration was to ensure that it doesn’t move beyond this boundary because there are huge structures that go all the way to the Electricity company,” he said.
Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson, who visited the scene with members of the Regional Security Council, described the incident as unfortunate, stressing the need for preparedness and swift response during outbreaks.
“The issue of what to do when there is a fire outbreak, we still have a chunk of our people who do not remember the emergency number of the Fire Service. I don’t think fire issues are common to Ghana, across the globe, incidents like these happen.
“But it’s also about our time of response. When it does happen, how long does it take us to respond?” he asked.
As residents count their losses, the haunting similarity between Tuesday’s fire and that of 2022 continues to raise questions about the safety and future of the Rails Mu community.
