The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has raised concerns over a sharp rise in fire outbreaks in the Greater Accra and Tema Metropolitan areas, revealing that the region records about 20 incidents daily.
Assistant Divisional Officer of the GNFS, Alex King Nartey, described the trend as worrying, attributing the frequent outbreaks largely to human negligence and poor safety practices.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Friday, May 1, he disclosed that the situation in Tema is equally alarming, with as many as 25 fire incidents recorded in a single day in some instances.
“Believe it or not, no less than 20 fires in Accra. In Tema alone, no less than 25 in a day,” he said.
Mr Nartey questioned the persistent rise in fire outbreaks, noting that most incidents are preventable and stem from avoidable human actions.
“What is it we are not doing right? For which you see fire here, fire there,” he asked, stressing that negligence remains the leading cause.
He identified practices such as unattended refuse burning, careless cooking, and the failure to properly supervise fire sources as key contributors to the recurring incidents.
According to him, in many cases, individuals ignite waste and leave it unattended, allowing wind to carry embers to nearby combustible materials, resulting in avoidable fires.
“Someone knows they are burning refuse but goes back to sleep. Someone is cooking, gets a call, lies down and sleeps. These fires can start just like that,” he explained.
Mr Nartey stressed that beyond emergency response, the GNFS continues to prioritise public education and sensitisation as critical tools in reducing fire outbreaks nationwide.
He urged the public to adopt stricter safety practices, warning that continued negligence could worsen the already troubling situation in urban centres.
