A dawn inferno on Tuesday razed nearly 50 wooden structures at the European Town Railway enclave, popularly known as Rails Mu, in Sekondi-Takoradi, leaving dozens of residents homeless.

Among the destroyed properties was a church, while many of the displaced included head porters and commercial sex workers who lived within the densely packed settlement.

The blaze has drawn particular public attention because it occurred on September 9—exactly three years after a similar fire gutted the same community during a clearance operation by city authorities.

Some residents are demanding answers.

“It baffles me why this place catches fire every 9th of September. Authorities must investigate,” one eyewitness told reporters.

Director of NADMO, Abubakar Karmal, disclosed that his outfit had carried out fire safety education in the enclave just six weeks earlier, warning residents about unsafe practices such as the use of candles and faulty electrical connections.

According to the Metro Fire Service, the fire is believed to have started in one of the wooden shacks. DO1 Michael Tetteh explained that firefighters concentrated on containing the flames and preventing them from spreading to nearby installations of the Electricity Company of Ghana.

Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson, who visited the scene with members of the Regional Security Council, described the incident as “regrettable,” stressing the need for stronger preparedness and rapid emergency response.

For residents, however, the mystery of the fire’s recurrence on the same date has only deepened fears about the safety and future of the Rails Mu community.