A fire outbreak on the morning of Wednesday, 23rd July 2026 destroyed sewing materials, fabrics and customers’ clothing at Adoma Fashion School at Top High in the Oforikrom municipality, leaving students and clients counting their losses.
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) confirmed that no lives were lost and no injuries were recorded in the incident.
Speaking to the media, the KNUST Fire Station Commander, DO II Appiah Anthony, said the service received a distress call at about 7:00 a.m. and dispatched personnel to the scene immediately.
According to him, firefighters arrived at approximately 7:45 a.m. but found the blaze had already intensified due to the highly combustible materials inside the facility.
“The magnitude of the fire was too much, so we requested additional support from the Asokore Mampong Fire Station,” he said.
The combined team eventually brought the fire under control and prevented it from spreading further.
Although no casualties were reported, the fire destroyed large quantities of fabrics, kente, sewing materials and customers’ garments that had been entrusted to the school for sewing, causing significant property loss.
Students at the fashion school said they had reported to the premises around earlier that morning to clean the workshop before beginning the day’s activities. After arranging materials they intended to use for the week, one of the students detected the smell of smoke.
According to the students, they initially suspected a faulty light bulb but later noticed flames spreading from a store located on the opposite side of the building. They said the fire spread rapidly, consuming the fabrics and other materials within a short time.
The exact cause of the fire has not yet been established, and investigations are expected to determine its origin.
DO II Anthony disclosed that fire extinguishers were available on the premises when the fire started. However, he said those present were unable to use them effectively due to a lack of technical knowledge and hesitation during the emergency.
He urged individuals and businesses that own fire extinguishers to seek training from the Ghana National Fire Service on their proper use.
“We encourage everyone who acquires a fire extinguisher to invite officers from the nearest fire station to train them on how to operate it. Having the equipment alone is not enough if you cannot use it during an emergency,” he advised.
The incident left many students visibly distressed, while customers who had clothing at the school expressed concern over the loss of their belongings.
