Assin Fosu, Central Region – A 26-year-old man, identified as Barron Guda, popularly known as Efutu, has died in a fire incident suspected to be an act of arson at Mempeasem, a suburb of Assin Fosu in the Central Region.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, January 8, 2026, when a wooden structure in which the deceased lived was engulfed by fire.
Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service and the Ghana Police Service responded to a distress call from residents around 7:00 a.m., but the victim had already died by the time firefighters arrived. His charred remains were found at the scene.
Confirming the incident, the Assin Fosu District Crime Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rosemond Duncan, said efforts were made to control the fire, but the deceased could not be saved.
Some residents have alleged foul play, claiming that a group of mechanics in the area had earlier threatened to burn the victim or eject him from the structure over accusations of theft.
“The mechanics warned that they would burn him or drive him out. That is why we believe the fire was deliberately set,” a resident told the media.
However, other residents have disputed the arson claims, suggesting the fire may have been accidental. According to them, the deceased had earlier been seen behaving erratically while smoking, raising suspicion that a cigarette may have triggered the blaze.
Following the incident, tension escalated in the community as some angry youth, believed to be friends of the deceased, confronted police officers with sticks and clubs, demanding the arrest of the suspected mechanics.
To prevent any disturbance of public order, the Assin Fosu District Police Command requested reinforcement from the Regional Command, the Divisional Police and the Formed Police Unit to restore calm in the area.
ASP Duncan confirmed that the body has been deposited at the St. Francis Xavier Hospital morgue in Assin Fosu, while investigations are ongoing to establish the exact cause of the fire.
Source: Graphiconline