Fire guts 16 rooms at GBC Upper West staff compound in Wa

A fire outbreak at Jujeideyiri, a suburb located behind the premises of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) in Wa, has destroyed 16 rooms in a compound house occupied by staff of GBC Radio Upper West.

The incident, which occurred on Thursday, June 25, triggered a swift response from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), whose personnel worked for more than two hours to contain and extinguish the blaze while preventing it from spreading to nearby buildings.

According to the Ghana National Fire Service, a distress call reporting the fire was received at the Wa Municipal Fire Station at 12:21 p.m.

In a statement issued by the Public Relations Office of the GNFS in the Upper West Region, fire appliance FS 478, manned by a seven-member duty crew led by Station Officer II (STNO II) Remus, was immediately dispatched to the scene at 12:22 p.m.

The team arrived just four minutes later at 12:26 p.m. and found a large section of the compound house engulfed in flames.

“On arrival at 1226 hours, the crew found fire in sixteen rooms of a compound house accommodating GBC Radio Upper West staff,” the statement said.

Due to the intensity of the fire and the risk of it spreading to nearby structures, the initial firefighting team requested reinforcement.

A second fire appliance, FS 741, carrying six additional firefighters, arrived at the scene at 12:31 p.m. to provide operational support and ensure a steady supply of water for firefighting efforts.

The combined teams battled the blaze for over an hour before successfully bringing it under control.

According to the Fire Service, the fire was contained at approximately 1:43 p.m. and completely extinguished by 2:24 p.m.

Despite the extensive damage caused to the 16 rooms, firefighters were able to rescue a number of personal belongings and prevent the flames from spreading to adjoining houses within the densely populated area.

“The crew salvaged personal belongings and prevented spread to adjoining houses,” the statement added.

The swift intervention by the firefighters is believed to have averted a much larger disaster that could have affected several other residential properties in the community.

Initial investigations conducted by the Ghana National Fire Service indicate that the fire may have originated from a naked flame that was left unattended.

Although authorities have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the incident, fire officers suspect human negligence may have contributed to the outbreak.

“Preliminary investigations suggest that the blaze may have been caused by naked fire left unattended. Investigations are ongoing,” the statement noted.

The incident has once again highlighted the importance of fire safety awareness, particularly in residential communities where open flames and cooking activities are common.

The Ghana National Fire Service continues to encourage the public to exercise caution when using fire, electrical appliances, and other potential ignition sources to prevent avoidable fire outbreaks.

Authorities are expected to continue investigations to determine the precise cause of the fire and assess the full extent of losses suffered by affected residents.

Meanwhile, no casualties or injuries were reported, although several occupants are believed to have lost property and household items in the blaze.