Final-year boys’ dormitory at Anlo-Afiadenyigba SHS gutted by fire
The boys’ dormitory at Anlo-Afiadenyigba Senior High School in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region was gutted by fire on Tuesday, leaving final-year students devastated after losing their personal belongings.
The incident, which occurred around 1300 hours, destroyed items including chop boxes, money, mobile phones, school uniforms and shoes.
Mr Gabriel Kuatsikor, Assembly Member for the area, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the incident had caused distress among candidates currently sitting for their final examinations.
“The dormitory that caught fire housed the final-year boys. All their belongings were destroyed. Some students nearby helped to put out the fire. We need support for the affected students,” he said.
He explained that the fire reportedly broke out while many of the students were either in class or writing examination papers, heightening anxiety among family members and school authorities.
Mr Kuatsikor said the exact cause of the fire remained unknown, adding that investigations by the Keta-Anloga Ghana National Fire Service and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) were underway.
“We thank the Municipal Fire Service for responding quickly to the distress call and helping to control the situation, which prevented the fire from spreading to nearby structures,” he added.
He noted that no casualties were recorded, although several student properties were destroyed, stressing the need for urgent support and psychological counselling for the affected candidates.
Mr Kuatsikor also stated that the headmaster was in Accra attending a Public Accounts Committee meeting at the time of the incident and was therefore absent from campus when the fire broke out.
Other school administrators, however, joined local officials and emergency responders at the scene to assist the affected students.
Officials from NADMO in the municipality also visited the school to assess the extent of the damage and determine the immediate needs of displaced students.
Mr Wisdom Seade, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), who inspected the scene, assured the students and school authorities of support.
He said a report would be forwarded to the Regional NADMO office for urgent action and appealed to individuals and organisations to support the students during the recovery period.
The Municipal Assembly, he disclosed, would initially provide mattresses and mosquito nets for the affected students while awaiting additional support from regional and national agencies.
Authorities also indicated plans to source replacement uniforms and other essential items to minimise disruption to the candidates’ studies and examinations.
Students who spoke to the GNA expressed concern over the incident and appealed to the public, alumni associations and non-governmental organisations for assistance to replace lost study materials and personal effects.
They also called for swift intervention to ensure their studies and examinations were not further disrupted.
Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing, with school authorities, the Fire Service and disaster management officials collaborating to determine the source of the blaze and recommend measures to prevent future occurrences.
