Fire Guts Parts of Korle Bu Medical School, Medical Laboratory Buildings Affected

• A fire broke out at the Medical Laboratory buildings of the Korle Bu Medical School on June 18
• Firefighters contained the fire within an hour, according to the Ghana National Fire Service
• Fire service investigators are expected to assess the damage to critical documents and equipment

Firefighters have contained a fire that broke out at the Medical Laboratory buildings of the Korle Bu Medical School late on June 18, 2025.

The fire service received a distress call at 11:50 pm about a blaze at the school’s laboratory complex.

A statement from the service noted that the affected sections included the accounts office, stores, administration, and archives.

The fire was reportedly brought under control by 00:43 and fully extinguished by 04:10 on June 18.

Adjoining buildings such as the Allied Sciences Building, the Diabetic Centre, and another store were saved from the blaze.

The fire service noted that it was still investigating the cause of the fire.

Investigation into Korle Bu school fire underway

The Korle Bu Medical School is part of the University of Ghana’s College of Health Sciences and is located within the premises of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

Investigators are expected to assess the extent of damage to critical documents and equipment housed within the affected units of the laboratory building.

"The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) received a distress call at 2350 hours on Tuesday night, June 17, 2025, reporting a fire at the Medical Laboratory Buildings of the Korle Bu Medical School. The blaze affected the Accounts Office, Stores, Administration, and Archives of the Laboratory buildings.

Firefighters from four (4) stations (Regional Headquarters Substation, Accra City, National Headquarters Substation and Ministries Fire Stations) swiftly responded and brought the fire under control at 0043 hours, with full extinguishment at 0410 hours. No injuries were recorded.

Thanks to the swift response, nearby facilities such as the Allied Sciences Building, Diabetic Centre, and Stores Annex were successfully protected from the blaze. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The GNFS commends its personnel for their dedication and effective response."

Korle Bu has suffered some fire outbreaks in the past. For example, the Intensive Care Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital was gutted by a fire in 2020.

According to management, that fire was caused by an electrical fault in the Intensive Care Unit. That fire was brought under control by staff, and no casualties were recorded.

Fire ravages Maaha Beach Resort

The Maaha Beach Resort in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region was gutted by a fire which spread from a neighbouring resort.

The May 28 fire destroyed several beachfront structures before being brought under control. The blaze started in the kitchen of Vision Beach, a neighbouring resort, before spreading.

According to an eyewitness, the nearest fire tender from the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant could not immediately extinguish the blaze due to the nature of the fire and the chemicals they use for firefighting.

Student dies in fire at Saboba

YEN.com.gh also reported that a first-year student of the Saboba EP Senior High School in the Northern Region died in fire that broke out in January.

Reports indicated that the deceased was unable to escape the dormitory after the flames began as she was sick and locked the door from the inside.

The Ghana National Fire Service also noted that its pump malfunctioned when its personnel arrived , causing major delays in extinguishing the blaze.

Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh