Rat Hunting at Market Center Destroys Three Shops Over Fire at Nyankumase Ahenkro.

Several three shop owners at Nyankumase Ahenkuro in the Assin South District of the Central Region are counting their losses after their shops were engulfed by fire in an attempt by rat hunters in search of rats in the market.

The victims are Faustina Nkrumah, 42, and Kwame Ofosu, cosmetics and sandals sellers respectively who have suffered losses in the disaster.

According to the items worth thousands of Ghana Cedis are said to have been destroyed by the inferno including fridges, irons, blenders, ricer cookers, perfumes, pomades and others.

The unfortunate incident happened on 25th January 2023 around 2:30 pm when three suspects aged between 14 and 45 respectively extend their hunting expedition to the marketplace to hunt for meat.

The information revealed that they were hunting rats under one of the burnt stores and in the process caught up a fire which burnt down the three shops while all efforts to quench the fire proved futile.

The residents, therefore, appealed to the government to set up a fire station in the district since this is the 3rd fire disaster within 3 months but they resort to other districts for fire tenders. 

Meanwhile, one of the victims, Faustina Nkrumah speaking in an interview about the incident threatened to commit suicide after killing her 4 children because she cannot contain the pain as the store was the source of living for the family.

ADO 2 Robert Darko Ntoro from Mankesim Fire Station explained what they unravelled at the scene when they visited the situation. 

He also advised people to be careful when dealing with a fire in this harmattan season. 

Story by Opamago Paparichy.