Accra (Greater Accra), 19th April ?99 ?

The former Singer Company building near the Farisco supermarket on the Kwame Nkrumah Avenue, which housed four companies, was on Saturday struck by lightening and burnt down. All equipment, including computers, office files and documents, running into billions of cedis were destroyed. A car parked nearby was crushed by a falling wall. The companies affected include the National Trust Holding Company, BKB Couriers Ghana Limited, and PAO Andahs and Associates, tax and management consultants. Mr Tonny Lawoe, Greater Accra Regional Fire Commander said at about 1345 hours on Saturday the Ghana National Fire Service was alerted that the former Kingsway building near Farisco on the Circle-Accra road was on fire. A team of fire fighters and engineers from various fire stations in Accra were immediately dispatched to the place to fight it. The Armed Forces and the Police were there to assist. He said the building has been burnt completely because by the time the information got to them there was nothing they could do to safe the situation. Mr Dan Ofori a sales Executive of BKB couriers arrived at about 1500 hours. He looked on helplessly while the items in his office smouldered. He said, "In fact every thing, as you can see is burnt, we just bought new computers, our office equipment and all that is needed in a modern office are gone. We are lucky that we don't keep cash in here.'