A devastating fire has engulfed six rooms within the girls’ dormitory at Wa Islamic Senior High School in the Upper West Region, resulting in the displacement of 138 students and significant property damage. The fire, which began on Sunday evening, was extinguished by Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) personnel within a remarkably short timeframe, preventing its spread to adjoining buildings. Addressing journalists after a preliminary inspection, Headmaster Alhassan Bafara confirmed that the incident did not disrupt examinations, a fortunate development considering Form Three students had completed their studies and allowed for the relocation of some remaining students to available classrooms.
The fire, which began in the dormitory block, completely destroyed the six rooms, with the displaced students losing nearly all of their belongings. ‘We held a management meeting and decided that the 138 girls who were badly affected should return home temporarily over the weekend while arrangements are made for their accommodation,’ Bafara stated. Fortunately, the incident did not disrupt the ongoing examinations due to the completion of Form Three students’ school schedules, allowing some of the remaining students to be relocated to classrooms.
According to the headmaster, the fire was not the first to hit the school, though this was a significant surprise considering efforts by the school to improve safety. Management engaged qualified electricians to rewire areas where electrical faults were previously identified. The school also strengthened supervision by deploying student cadets to monitor the dormitories every evening until lights-out. ‘We have done a lot to improve safety, so this incident came as a surprise to us,’ Bafara affirmed.
Mr. Bafara explained that following previous fire incidents, the school management engaged qualified and certified electricians to completely rewire parts of the dormitory block where electrical faults had earlier been identified. The fire spread rapidly due to highly combustible materials like mattresses, books, and wooden ceilings, leading to significant damage. The school also strengthened supervision by deploying student cadets to monitor the dormitories every evening until lights-out.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Iddrisu Imiran of the Ghana National Fire Service confirmed that firefighters arrived shortly after the distress call and quickly focused on preventing the fire from spreading to nearby structures. He stated that because the dormitory contained highly combustible materials, including mattresses, books, wooden ceilings, and other furnishings, the fire spread rapidly before firefighters arrived.
The Regional Fire Commander, ACFO Iddrisu Imiran, emphasized that investigators were examining several possibilities, including electrical faults, smoldering combustion from combustible materials, and the improper use of electrical appliances by students. He noted that students sometimes used unauthorized electrical gadgets such as electric irons and other heating appliances, which could pose serious fire risks. ‘We are considering all possible causes and will conduct a professional assessment before issuing our final report,’ Imiran said.
The Upper West Regional Fire Commander expressed concern over recurring fire outbreaks in educational institutions, attributing many of them to poor adherence to fire safety recommendations. He said the GNFS had repeatedly conducted fire safety education programs in schools and trained student fire volunteer groups, but many institutions failed to fully implement recommended preventive measures. He called on educational authorities to invest in permanent fire protection systems such as sprinklers, fire hydrants, and improved fire installations instead of relying solely on portable fire extinguishers. He disclosed that the GNFS had collaborated with the Ghana Water Limited to install hydrants within the Wa Municipality and urged the Ghana Education Service to support the installation of similar facilities in schools across the country. The incident has caused considerable damage to the dormitory, and investigations are ongoing to determine the precise cause of the fire.
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Source: Graphic Online
