A 15-year-old boy has died after a late-night fire destroyed a nine-bedroom house at Tarkwa Makro in the Suame Constituency of Ashanti Region, leaving several residents homeless and wiping out their belongings.

The fire broke out at about 11:00 p.m. on Monday, according to residents, rapidly engulfing the house before firefighters arrived.

The victim, identified as Hassan, was unable to escape after becoming trapped inside one of the rooms as the flames spread through the building.

Residents said they attempted to rescue the teenager after hearing him cry for help, but were unable to reach him.

Prince, a resident who lived in the house, said Hassan repeatedly called out to him during the blaze.

“Hassan was calling me, ‘Bra Prince, I’m burning, help me.’ I asked him to open the door, but he said it was locked and he couldn’t. I did everything I could, but I couldn’t save him,” he said.

Prince, who appeared visibly distressed, said four people were inside the house when the fire started.

The blaze destroyed the nine-bedroom house and consumed residents’ personal belongings, leaving several occupants without shelter.

Some residents alleged that the victim may have been trapped because the room’s security door, commonly known as a “China door”, could not be opened during the fire. The claim has not been confirmed by investigators.

Residents said they alerted the Ghana National Fire Service shortly after the fire broke out but claimed firefighters arrived after the house had already been extensively damaged.

The Ghana National Fire Service extinguished the fire and has opened an investigation to determine its cause.

Authorities have not yet established what triggered the blaze.