The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has identified human negligence as the primary cause behind the recent fires that ravaged the Accra Timber Market and a nearby area in Lartebiokorshie.
Greater Accra Regional Fire Commander, ACFO II Rashid Kwame Nisawu, said investigations revealed that both incidents stemmed from careless actions that could have been easily avoided.
Investigations into the fire at Lartebiokorshie, which occurred on Saturday, September 13, 2025, indicated that a Chinese national inadvertently ignited the blaze.
“What we are picking from our preliminary investigations is that a foreign expatriate smoked and dropped the cigar into a dustbin. That is believed to have started the fire,” ACFO Nisawu explained during an interview with Channel One Newsroom.
The fire at the Accra Timber Market broke out shortly after, causing extensive damage to several shops and leaving two firefighters injured in the line of duty.
ACFO Nisawu elaborated on the circumstances surrounding this incident, stating, “In this particular case, someone closed for the day, gathered refuse, and set it on fire. He then went to sleep. The fire spread and caused the damage we witnessed.”
Thanks to the prompt response from the GNFS and support agencies, the fire was contained before it could spread to nearby areas, including the Ayalolo cluster of schools, thereby preventing potentially greater harm.
The swift action of the firefighters was instrumental in mitigating the impact of the blaze, but the damage to the market has raised serious concerns among traders and local residents.
ACFO Nisawu stressed the importance of adhering to basic fire safety protocols, as these incidents reveal a troubling trend of negligence in fire education.
“These are clear cases of human error. It shows that people are not taking fire education seriously,” he noted, urging the public to be more vigilant and responsible in their daily activities.
The fires have reignited discussions about fire safety measures within the community. Local authorities are now considering the implementation of more rigorous fire safety training programmes for residents and business owners to prevent future occurrences.
Data from the GNFS indicates that human negligence accounts for a significant percentage of fire incidents across the country.
In the Greater Accra Region alone, there were over 300 reported fire outbreaks in the past year, with a considerable portion attributed to careless behaviours, such as improper disposal of smoking materials and failure to extinguish fires safely.