The town of Agnibilékrou (Indénié-Djuablin region) is plunged into terror following a nighttime fire of unprecedented violence that occurred on the night of Thursday 30 to Friday 31 October 2025. A tragedy claimed the lives of five members of the same family, leaving the Liberté neighborhood in mourning.

A Deadly Trap in the Night

Around 2 a.m., a violent fire broke out, turning a house in the Liberté district into an inferno and taking away Mrs. Natogoman Dembélé , a fishmonger in her forties, and her four children .

According to multiple witness accounts, the fire started at the front door. Ironically, and compounding the tragedy, the mother, fearing burglaries following previous incidents, had reinforced the security of her home. These protective measures unfortunately became a fatal trap , making escape impossible.

Victims Asphyxiated by Smoke

Trapped inside the two-room dwelling, the victims were quickly asphyxiated by the thick smoke before the flames completely reduced the apartment to ashes. The speed and intensity of the blaze rendered the neighbors' desperate attempts to rescue the family futile.

Firefighters, dispatched urgently from Abengourou, located nearly 40 kilometers away, could only assess the extent of the damage upon arrival. The bodies were evacuated to the Abengourou Regional Hospital Center (CHR), where the deaths were officially confirmed.

Emotion and Open Investigation

In the early morning, a wave of shock and sadness swept through the neighborhood. Local and municipal authorities went to the scene to offer their support and assess the devastation. The community mourns today a courageous mother, known for her hard work and dedication to raising her children.

An investigation was immediately launched to shed light on the exact causes of the fire: was it a domestic accident (short circuit), or a criminal act?

This tragic event underlines, once again, the urgent need for better control of electrical installations and for strengthening emergency response capabilities in remote areas.