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A fire outbreak has destroyed large sections of the girls’ dormitory at the NOBISCO Northern School of Business, barely five months after the facility was handed over for use, leaving students displaced and causing extensive property loss.
The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon at the school in the Tamale Metropolitan Area. The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) confirmed receiving a distress call at about 14:02 hours and swiftly deployed personnel to the scene.
Public Relations Officer of the GNFS, Mr. Hudu Baba, said fire tenders arrived at the school at approximately 2:09pm, barely six minutes after the call was received.
“When we got to the scene, the girls’ dormitory was already involved in fire and it had spread to most of the rooms. The entire upper structure of the building was engulfed,” he stated.
According to Mr. Baba, the dormitory block consists of nine rooms. Firefighters were, however, able to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to the entire structure.
“Five rooms have been affected, but we managed to stop the fire from spreading to the remaining four rooms, including newly built washrooms behind the dormitory which are yet to be completed,” he explained.
He added that firefighters also prevented the fire from spreading to other parts of the school compound, while some student belongings such as mattresses, boxes and uniforms were salvaged during the operation.
Mr. Baba attributed the intensity of the fire to the highly combustible materials in the dormitory, noting that each room accommodates about 20 students.
“A lot of mattresses and personal effects were contained in the rooms, which increased the fire load and intensified the blaze,” he said, adding that personnel were still working to bring the situation under total control.
The Northern Regional Minister, Hon. Ali Adolf Imburdiba, at the scene described the incident as devastating. He expressed concern about the welfare of affected students, especially final-year students preparing for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The Minister confirmed that no student was injured, as none were in the dormitory at the time of the fire. Following consultations with school authorities, management has directed Level 200 students to go on a one-week break, while Level 300 students will be temporarily accommodated in available dormitory space. Students who sustained injuries have also been granted time off to receive medical attention.
Meanwhile, the Ghana National Fire Service says investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the fire, and findings will be communicated at the appropriate time.
