Tarkwa(WR), July 13, GNA - Fire gutted 10 rooms on the first floor of a storey building destroying properties worth several thousands of Ghana cedis.

The fire which started in a room at about 0700 hours spread to the other rooms and was brought under control after two hours. An eyewitness told Ghana News Agency that when the Ghana National Fire Service at Tarkwa was informed about the fire outbreak, it could not respond because its fire tender was at a vulcanizing shop. Therefore, fire tenders from Ghana Manganese Company, Goldfields Ghana Limited and Taysec responded to assist in bringing the fire under control.

However, the 28 affected people are living with friends and other relations.

Mr Kwaku Amehiere, a tenant said the fire started in a room upstairs and spread to the other rooms. Mr George Mireku Duker, Tarkwa-Nsueam Municipal Chief Executive who visited the affected victims, sympathised with them and said the assembly would provide 20 mattresses and blankets for them. He appealed to friends, families, churches and philanthropists to assist the victims. Mr Duker announced that a committee would be set up to investigate the cause of the fire and the inability of the fire service personnel to respond promptly.