A house on Mbonge Road, Kumba in Meme Division of South West Region was recently burnt to ashes after a fire reportedly resulted from the frequent disconnection and reconnection of electric cables in a compound said to be notorious for not paying electricity bills.

Because of this, the compound has been deprived of an electricity meter by AES-SONEL and the residents had to get electricity from a neighbouring compound. Reports say the fire started when the landlord of the neighbouring compound tried to switch on lights. The burnt house was built with wood and the inhabitants of the compound were out on their daily chores when the fire incident occurred.

Neighbours who were still at home noticed the fire but efforts to put it off were in vain as a gas cylinder in one of the rooms exploded. They were not able to remove any belongings. The damage caused is estimated at over FCFA 20 million.