A group of students in a school at Kpobikope-Amasaman in the Greater Accra Region have burnt a classroom to ashes due to the reckless use of fire crackers.
The fire crackers got into contact with flammable materials nearby, causing a fire outbreak on Thursday, November 29.
Officers from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) responded to an emergency call and, upon arrival, worked to contain and prevent the fire from further spreading.
After extinguishing the flames, the GNFS reported damage to one classroom, saving several others. Per the GNFS report, no casualties were reported.
It is common practice in Ghana to use fire crackers during the festive season in December. To avert any fire outbreaks, the Greater Accra Regional Fire Command has advised the public to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using fire crackers and keep fire extinguishers nearby.
The GNFS stressed “avoiding flammable materials to ensure a safe festive season.”
Meanwhile, the Ghana National Fire Service has urged Ghanaians to consider gifting fire extinguishers instead of hampers this Christmas to promote fire safety at home.
“It is old fashion. Buy people fire extinguishers to protect themselves at home. Instead of doing hampers, you can get a nice ribbon on the fire extinguisher and give it to someone as a gift,” the GNFS Public Relations Officer, Mr. Alex King Nartey, said in an interview with JoyNews.
The call comes in the wake of alarming statistics, with Ghana recording 4,650 fire incidents between January and September 2024.