Fire guts girls' dormitory at Pong Tamale SHS

Pong Tamale Senior High School has joined the growing list of second-cycle institutions in northern Ghana affected by fire outbreaks after a blaze tore through parts of the girls' dormitory, deepening concerns over fire safety in boarding schools.

Preliminary reports suggest the fire started from the washrooms, sparking panic among students and triggering swift attempts to alert emergency services to prevent the situation from worsening.

Firefighters from the Savelugu Fire Station responded promptly and were able to contain and extinguish the fire, stopping it from spreading to other dormitories and academic facilities on the campus.

The extent of damage is yet to be fully established, as assessments are ongoing to determine the impact on students belongings and school property.

The incident comes amid a spate of similar fires in senior high schools across the northern part of the country. On Monday, February 2, a fire outbreak at Tolon Senior High School destroyed sections of a dormitory, displacing several students and destroying personal items.

Earlier, on January 28, a major blaze at the Northern School of Business, NOBISCO, left nearly 900 female students affected after their dormitories were ravaged by fire.

The recurring incidents have heightened anxiety among parents, education stakeholders and the wider public, with increasing calls for urgent action to strengthen fire safety measures in boarding schools nationwide.