A jilted lover’s alleged act of arson has turned tragedy for an entire community in the Ashanti Region, as a blaze reportedly set by 38-year-old Victo
A jilted lover’s alleged act of arson has turned tragedy for an entire community in the Ashanti Region, as a blaze reportedly set by 38-year-old Victor Antwi gutted over 200 wooden structures at Ahodwo High Tension, in Kumasi rendering hundreds of residents homeless.
The devastating fire broke out around 11 p.m. on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. Eyewitness accounts suggest the inferno swept through the densely populated slum community in a matter of minutes, consuming nearly every makeshift structure in its path.
Residents say they had no time to retrieve belongings. “Everything is burnt, we could not take anything,” a victim tearfully told Akoma News.
The suspect, Victor Antwi, is said to be the ex-boyfriend of one of the female residents and previously cohabited with her in one of the wooden structures destroyed in the fire.
According to Richard Boadi, a former Presiding Member of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), the couple had a heated misunderstanding about a week prior to the incident.
The confrontation allegedly led to the woman evicting Victor from their shared space — a decision that seemingly triggered a vengeful outburst.
Opoman, as the former KMA member is widely known, revealed that the suspect did not take the breakup lightly and was heard issuing threats, including setting the place ablaze.
“I hear the boyfriend on several occasions threatened to kill the girlfriend and burn down their structure,” he disclosed.
It is also alleged that Victor has a disturbing history of violent behaviour. Reports indicate that he had previously pulled a gun on the same woman and other members of the community during past altercations.
While residents say they had raised alarm about his threatening demeanor in the past, it appears no concrete action was taken until this catastrophic incident.
Authorities from the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) in the Ashanti Region have since visited the site.
Preliminary assessments show that the victims are in urgent need of relief support, including shelter, food, and clothing. NADMO officials assured the public that efforts are underway to coordinate humanitarian aid to assist the affected families.
The local community remains traumatized and in shock over the sheer scale of destruction.
Calls are growing louder for the police to arrest and prosecute Victor Antwi swiftly to serve as a deterrent to similar acts of violence born out of personal vendettas.
As investigations into the arson continue, the victims — now living in makeshift tents and exposed to harsh weather — are left clinging to hope for justice and assistance to rebuild their shattered lives.
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