Fire tears through Guinea election security force office, 2nd blaze to hit capital in 2 days

Fire hits Guinea election security force office

CONAKRY, Guinea — A second fire has broken out in Guinea’s capital, only a day after a warehouse storing voting materials for a now-delayed election went up in flames.

The Friday night blaze tore through the headquarters of Guinea’s election security force.

Lt. Col. Patcho Bangoura blamed the fire on a short-circuit, the same cause cited after Thursday’s blaze. Bangoura said many of the city’s buildings are very old.

However, supporters of leading presidential candidate Cellou Dalein Diallo accused the government of sabotage following the first fire and of attempting to derail the election that was to be held Sunday.

Election officials on Thursday confirmed that the critical presidential runoff in Guinea has been postponed by at least two weeks.