Fire Service suspects arson in death of two lovers
Preliminary investigations into the death of two lovers in Obuasi last Monday point to arson. “There is clear evidence that someone deliberately started the fire,” the Obuasi Municipal Fire officer, Divisional Fire Officer III (DFOIII), Mr Ben O. Carlis-Paittoo, told the Daily Graphic.
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The two lovers, Yaa Serwah, 29, and her boyfriend, Akwasi Yeboah, 30, were severely burnt in a fire incident last Monday and rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital where they died on October 29, 2015.
Indicators
Mr Carlis-Paittoo said all the facts gathered from the scene pointed to the fact that someone was behind the fire. According to him, the point of origin or seat of the fire showed that it started from the window and a stick found behind the window had accelerants on it.
He said the physical examination and smell of the remnants gathered from the fire indicated that accelerants were used to induce the fire. Accelerants are substances or a mixture that fast-tracks the development of fire and are usually used to commit arson.
He said one could smell petrol on the stick that was found behind the window which the suspected arsonist might have used to start the fire “and besides, there was a V-shaped indication on the adjacent room, an indication that someone started the fire.”
Another fact that made the Fire Service to suspect arson, according to the municipal commander, was that the roof of the building caved in, falling on the victims, which indicated that the fire was started by an accelerant to make it spread faster than an accidental fire.
Adjacent room
He said if the fire was natural or accidental, it would not have consumed the room as it did and added that although the room adjacent to the one that caught fire was affected, it did not burn as much as the one in which the lovers were. Thus, making it possible for the nine occupants to run to safety.
“All these make the service to suspect that we are dealing with an arson case,” he stated.
Background
The Obuasi District Police authorities last Thursday arrested Yaw Acheampong, a taxi driver, on suspicion of being the brain behind the fire incident which led to the death of Yaa and Yeboah.
Until a month ago, Acheampong and Yaa lived together as husband and wife for 13 years and have a 12-year-old son.
But the lady quit the relationship and moved in with Yeboah and Acheampong was alleged to have set the room of the lovers on fire, leading to their death.
