The Ashanti Region has recorded eight deaths from 127 fire incidents in the first quarter of the year.
 
Poor adherence to basic fire measures is a major attribute of the recent fire incidents.
 
The latest fire outbreak happened Tuesday dawn at a slum in Kumasi where about 40 wooden shacks were destroyed.
 
The fire service recorded 127 fire incidents in the first quarter of the year. This is an improvement over the 226 fires recorded in the same period last year.
 
Ashanti Region Public Relations Officer, DO Desmond Ackah said poor wiring and leakage of gas are leading causes of domestic and market fires.
 
“The domestic fire outbreaks that we have had over the past few weeks have been caused by gas leakages, especially, the ones that were recorded around the Atonsu area.

“The recent one that happened at Kumasi Central Market was due to a lightning activity that cumulated in affecting a compromised electrical wiring system leading to that particular fire.

“A recent one at Asafo, which is just behind the Cocobod, was also caused by a naked light which went into contact with combustible materials such as cotton which affected the wooden structures.

“What has happened this morning is still under investigation, and we are hopeful of finding the cause by the end of the day.”
 
The Kumasi Central Market and Krofrom Market have both recorded two fire incidents this year.

 Asafo BB, Dagomba Line and Krofuom are slums that have also recorded similar incidents.

He said the service is on a sensitisation drive to help curtail such fire incidents.