By Goodlove
A fire outbreak swept through Long Street in Buea on Monday morning in February 2026, destroying several residential buildings and leaving many families homeless.
Eyewitnesses said the flames spread rapidly, giving residents little to no time to salvage their belongings. Most occupants fled their homes with only the clothes they were wearing as the inferno consumed houses within minutes.
The cause of the fire has not yet been established, and authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
This latest blaze adds to a growing list of fire incidents that have ravaged homes and businesses in Buea in recent months. While earlier outbreaks were largely blamed on faulty electrical connections and domestic accidents, residents say the situation is being worsened by the absence of basic fire-safety infrastructure.
The lack of fire alarms in most homes, coupled with the absence of a functional firefighting brigade in the city, continues to allow minor outbreaks to escalate into major disasters.
Material losses from the Long Street fire are expected to run into millions of francs, deepening calls from residents for urgent government intervention to improve fire prevention and emergency response in Buea.
