The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has voiced alarm over a steep surge in fire incidents across the Greater Accra and the Tema Metro, stating the area logs roughly 20 cases every day.
The Assistant Divisional Officer of the GNFS, Alex King Nartey, called the pattern disturbing, blaming the frequent fires mainly on human carelessness and weak safety habits.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on 1 May 2026, he noted the situation in Tema was just as grave, with up to 25 fire cases recorded in a single day on some occasions.
“Believe it or not, no less than 20 fires in Accra. In Tema alone, no less than 25 in a day,” he said. Mr Nartey questioned the continued spike in outbreaks, pointing out that most fires are avoidable and result from preventable human behavior.
“What is it we are not doing right? For which you see fire here, fire there,” he asked, stressing that negligence remains the top cause. He cited actions like unsupervised trash burning, reckless cooking, and failing to watch fire sources as major factors behind the repeated incidents.
He explained that in many cases, people light waste and walk away, letting wind spread embers to nearby flammable items, sparking needless fires.
“Someone knows they are burning refuse but goes back to sleep. Someone is cooking, gets a call, lies down and sleeps. These fires can start just like that,” he explained.
Mr Nartey emphasized that aside from emergency response, the GNFS keeps focusing on public awareness and education as key ways to cut fire outbreaks nationwide.He urged citizens to adopt tighter safety habits, warning that ongoing carelessness could worsen the already worrying trend in urban areas.
