A fire outbreak at Tsito–Awudome Gborkorpe in the Volta Region has destroyed a two-bedroom self-contained apartment. No casualties were reported from the incident, which occurred on Monday, December 8. Meanwhile, the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

Ghana has recorded several fire incidents from January to November this year. Recently, 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 in 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 8-year-old girl lost her life after a devastating fire swept through the Dansoman Market. The little girl was trapped in the intense blaze and could not escape as the fire engulfed the area. Her charred body has been 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 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.

In a related development, several houses at Darkuman Kokompe in Accra were destroyed following a fire incident in the early hours of Sunday, August 31. Reports indicated that victims were unable to salvage their belongings while waiting for emergency response. The cause of the fire is yet to be established.

Earlier in the month, another fire destroyed a Benz cargo truck transporting over 2,500 bags of rice from Côte d'Ivoire to Kumasi on the Adugyama–Bechem highway, near the Star Oil Filling Station, on Monday, August 25. Similarly, a popular pub and food joint at Nogora Junction near the Ho Technical University was reduced to ashes following a fire outbreak on Wednesday, August 13.

On August 4, a fire ravaged the first floor of the Accra Tourist Information Centre at Cantonments. According to the GNFS, the blaze destroyed the contents on the first floor, though the ground floor and about eight offices, including the East Wing, were salvaged.

The first GNFS engine from the Headquarters arrived at 01:04 hours to find a fully developed fire spreading rapidly in all directions, aided by strong winds. Five additional appliances from Flagstaff House, Circle, Accra City, and Ministries stations, as well as the Rapid Intervention Vehicle (RIV), were mobilised.

Although the blaze was brought under control at 03:32 hours, firefighting efforts continued until 06:35 hours to suppress the flames and prevent further spread to nearby properties. No injuries were recorded, but investigations into the cause are ongoing.

Another inferno destroyed several makeshift wooden and metal structures at the Madina Washing Bay near Redco Flats on Sunday, August 3. The blaze consumed utility poles, traders’ wares, personal belongings, and structures worth thousands of cedis.

While battling the fire, one firefighter sustained a minor leg injury. The Service received a distress call at 12:36 hours, and the first crew from the Madina Fire Station arrived within four minutes. Four additional fire engines from Legon, Abelemkpe, and GNFS Headquarters later joined to contain the blaze.

Thanks to the swift response, the fire was confined at 13:42 hours and fully brought under control at 13:54 hours. Overhaul operations continued until 20:50 hours. An investigation into the cause is underway.

A fire also broke out at Madina Ritz Junction. Initial reports claimed that a two-month-old baby had died in the incident, but the GNFS later clarified that no lives were lost.

“A verification team was dispatched to the scene this morning, and after engaging affected residents, particularly the women, and a Unit Committee Member of the area, the Service can confirm that no lives were lost. The Service has thus entreated the public and media outlets to disregard any reports suggesting otherwise, as they are inaccurate and misleading,” the GNFS posted on Facebook.

The Service explained that the fire began after a gas explosion in one of the shops and quickly spread to adjacent containers. Firefighters from the Madina, Legon, and Abelemkpe stations responded promptly and contained the blaze.

In April this year, another fire ripped through the Madina Redco Flats area, destroying more than 150 structures and claiming the life of a young Nigerian woman known as Beauty.

The inferno, which began around 11:15 p.m., spread rapidly across 140 wooden kiosks and 20 metal containers. Although firefighters arrived within minutes, the victim was trapped and could not escape. Her remains were handed over to the Madina Police.

Last year, about 50 stalls were reduced to ashes after the Madina Market in Accra caught fire. Deputy Director of Operations at GNFS, D.O.I. Kofi Forson, recounted the challenges: “It was not easy for us. There was a lack of access to where the fire was spreading, and because it happened in the night, the shops were closed, and we had to break through, which made it tedious.”

The GNFS has released statistics on fire outbreaks in the first half of 2025, showing a slight increase compared to the same period in 2024. Ghana recorded 3,595 fire cases between January and June this year, compared to 3,576 cases last year—an increase of 19 cases, representing a 0.53% rise.

The monthly distribution is: January (964), February (678), March (619), April (483), May (457), and June (394). The Greater Accra Region recorded the highest number of incidents (628), followed by Ashanti (581) and Central (408). The North East Region had the lowest, with just 10 cases.

In an interview on Tuesday, July 8, the Head of Public Relations at GNFS, Desmond Ackah, revealed that due to improved and swift responses, the Service saved over GH¢203 million worth of property in the last two quarters of 2025.

The GNFS listed the main causes of fires as electrical faults—including illegal connections, poor wiring, and overloaded circuits; improper appliance use, such as overused extension cords and unattended devices; unattended cooking with gas, electric, or coal stoves; careless use of naked flames like candles, mosquito coils, lighters, and matches; LPG leakages and poor handling of cylinders; bush burning; vehicle fires caused by poor maintenance or accidents; unsafe welding and hot-work practices; and deliberate arson.

Meanwhile, the Service reported a significant improvement in reducing prank calls. It recorded a 34.77% decrease—from 364,020 prank calls in the first half of 2024 to 237,470 in 2025. The GNFS attributed the decline to continuous public education and increased awareness of the legal consequences of misusing emergency lines.