A fire outbreak at the Islamic Senior High School in Wa on Sunday, August 2, 2026, evening has displaced 138 female students after six rooms in the Girls’ Dormitory were destroyed.
The affected students have been asked by school authorities to return home, while other female students whose rooms were not severely affected have been temporarily relocated to classrooms as Management works to restore normalcy.
Headmaster of the school, Alhassan Abudu Bafaara, said the fire broke out at about 7:30 p.m. in one of the rooms before spreading rapidly to adjoining rooms.
“I dashed back and saw the inferno. It was already high. One hundred and thirty-eight girls in six rooms were affected. Almost everything was gone,” he recounted.
Although no casualties were recorded, the fire destroyed students’ personal belongings, including mattresses, books, uniforms, clothing, food, and other valuables.
Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service responded to the distress call and managed to contain the blaze, preventing it from spreading to other parts of the dormitory.
The Wa Municipal Fire Officer, DO3 Iddrisu Imuran, said investigations have commenced to determine the cause of the fire and urged school authorities and students to observe fire safety measures to prevent similar incidents.
The Wa Municipal Chief Executive, Alhaji Nura Issah Danwana, who visited the scene alongside NADMO, assured the affected students and school Management of the Assembly’s support.
He said the immediate plan is to convert some classrooms into temporary dormitories to accommodate the displaced students.
The latest incident has renewed concerns over the safety of the girls’ dormitory, which has now suffered three separate fire outbreaks.
The first fire occurred on 17th January, 2020, followed by another on 21st February, 2020. Sunday’s blaze, which occurred on 2nd August 2026, marks the third fire incident at the same facility in just over six years.
The recurring outbreaks have prompted renewed calls for a comprehensive investigation into the causes of the fires and urgent improvements to fire safety infrastructure at the school.
By Ibrahim Abubakari Wangara
