A fire incident that occurred on Saturday, January 17, at Afful Nkwanta in the Oforikrom Municipality of the Ashanti Region has left over 700 slum dwellers stranded.

The fire ravaged belongings owned mostly by head porters and scrap dealers. The area has recorded a number of incidents, notably in 2016 and 2020.

Ghana recorded over 3,595 fire incidents nationwide in the first half of 2025, with regional breakdowns showing hundreds of cases across the Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Central Regions.

Barely a week into the New Year, some Kasoa residents had their stalls completely burnt after a fire ravaged stalls in a major outbreak at the Kasoa New Market on Sunday, January 4, 2026.

According to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), a distress call was received around 4:50 p.m., after which the Kasoa Fire Station swiftly reached the scene, only to meet the fire at a very advanced stage.

The fire was spreading so rapidly that fire tenders had to immediately call for reinforcement from Weija, Anyaa, Dansoman, Industrial Area, Flagstaff House, Madina, and Swedru fire stations.

After about two hours of firefighting, the tenders managed to extinguish the flames at 6:52 p.m., brought the fire under control at 7:52 p.m., and fully extinguished it by 10:00 p.m.

Although several metallic shops and wooden stalls were destroyed—along with food items such as maize, beans, shea butter, spices, and other merchandise—the swift response by firefighters prevented the blaze from consuming the entire market.

Fire control officers explained that, despite the losses incurred, several stalls were salvaged. Among the challenges listed by the GNFS during the operation were poor accessibility within the market, long distances to reliable water sources, and interference from members of the public at various points during the operation. This fire marks the second major outbreak at the market in the last two years.

Fire tenders from Kasoa and Swedru have been left on standby to prevent any possible re-ignition, while investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.

A fire incident at Abuakwa Manhyia in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality of the Ashanti Region has claimed the lives of a three-month-old baby and six others. The fire outbreak, which occurred at about 12:30 a.m. on Monday, December 22, swept through an apartment.

This information was disclosed by the Assembly Member for Abuakwa Manhyia, Evans Opoku. Meanwhile, the cause of the incident is yet to be established. Ghana has recorded several fire incidents from January to November this year.

Recently, a fire outbreak at Tsito–Awudome Gborkorpe in the Volta Region destroyed a two-bedroom self-contained apartment.

No casualties were reported from the incident, which occurred on Monday, December 8. Several students at Kedjebi-Asato Senior High School (SHS) in the Oti Region were left unconscious after a fire gutted one of the boys’ dormitories on Tuesday morning, December 2.

The students passed out from exhaustion as a result of smoke inhalation during the fire. Unfortunately, all their belongings were destroyed. Meanwhile, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) successfully brought the blaze under control.

Last month, a four-bedroom apartment at Aboabo Number 2 in the Asokore Mampong Municipality of the Ashanti Region was razed by fire on Wednesday, November 27. A young man in the community who attempted to help extinguish the fire was electrocuted in the process.

Speaking to the media, the Assembly Member for the area, Haruna Abdul Rashid, disclosed that the victim is currently receiving treatment at the hospital.

He added that officers from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) arrived at the scene to turn off the transformer to prevent the fire from spreading further.

In the early hours of Wednesday, November 26, an eight-year-old girl lost her life after a devastating fire swept through the Dansoman Market.

The girl was trapped in the intense blaze and could not escape as the fire engulfed the area. Her charred body was handed over to the Police for preservation and further investigation.

Several wooden structures and shops, along with their contents, were destroyed. However, adjacent structures were saved due to the prompt intervention of firefighters.

According to an update by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), a crew from the Dansoman Fire Station arrived at the scene within two minutes after receiving a distress call at 00:02 hours, but the fire was already at an advanced stage.

Because of the intensity of the blaze, eight fire engines were deployed to support two private water tankers from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly. The cause of the fire, however, is yet to be determined.

On Saturday, November 22, a fire incident engulfed the Charkieh Plastics Factory site at Weija Junction in the Greater Accra Region. To contain the blaze, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) dispatched a coordinated team from seven fire stations.

Last month, the Kwapong Nursing Training College in the Asunafo South District of the Ahafo Region was gutted by fire. The incident, which occurred on Friday, October 31, forced students to flee to safety. Authorities are working to ascertain the cause.

The newly opened China City Mall at Santasi in Kumasi, inaugurated in May 2025, was also destroyed by fire. No casualties were recorded, but the mall was completely ravaged, with no items salvaged. The cause has not yet been made public.

Earlier this month, a fire ravaged parts of Kantamanto, at the Tazani Lane section in Accra. Several shops selling wooden planks and hardware were destroyed after the fire broke out near Aayalolo School at 1:17 a.m. on Saturday, September 13.

The GNFS confirmed in an update on Sunday, September 14: “The flames were confined at 6:26 a.m., brought under control by 6:37 a.m., and fully extinguished by 11:44 a.m.”

The Service added that two firefighters sustained injuries—one from an electric shock and another from burns to the left arm. Both were treated, discharged, and are in stable condition.