Fire razes house of former Ghanaian President Jerry Rawlings; no one injured, cause unknown

Fire razes house of ex-Ghana president Rawlings

ACCRA, Ghana — An aide to former Ghanaian President Jerry Rawlings says a fire razed his home early this morning.

Special aide Kofi Adams said Rawlings was not home at the time of the blaze Sunday, and his wife and one of his daughters escaped unharmed.

The cause of the fire, which began about 4 a.m., was not immediately known. Adams said the fire destroyed all the personal effects of the former president and his family.

Rawlings, a former coup leader, went on to organize elections in the West African nation in the 1990s. He won two terms, then surprised the world in 2000 when his party lost and he voluntarily stepped down.