After feasting with family members and friends recently, some people decided to go out for a dance in the Fiango neighbourhood of Kumba, Meme Division of South West Region. As they were returning home with joy and smiles on their faces, some eight families could not return home as their houses were destroyed in another fire disaster.
Reports say a 10-room apartment house caught fire at about 2 am Monday morning with only two tenants present. Few household items were saved. Attempts by the population to put out the fire failed.
Luckily, the life of a 63-year-old woman was saved when she dashed out of her room which was already on flames with only her pants on and a small bag. She was later clothed by some “Good Samaritan” women. Nothing else came out of the rest of the rooms as the owners were out dancing.
One of the victims, a business woman, Joan, lost FCFA 70,000 in the fire that consumed her home. She wailed and wondered how she was going to start afresh with only the dress on her. However, she thanked God for saving her life. As at press time, the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO for Meme, David Koulbout Aman, visited the scene to sympathise with the victims in the company of the Divisional Officer for Kumba II Subdivision, Sezode Pierre, the Mayor of the Kumba II Council, Asapngu Ferdinand and security forces.
It was the sixth fire incident in Fiango within nine months. Though no lives were lost, damage caused is estimated at over FCFA 20 million. The cause of the fire is still to be determined as investigations proceed.
