Fire Ravages Kumasi Fashion School, Property Worth Thousands Destroyed
Early morning blaze destroys sewing machines, fabrics and other equipment, leaving more than 30 apprentices and workers affected as investigations begin into the cause of the fire.
- Fire guts fashion school, destroying equipment worth thousands of cedis
- Over 30 apprentices affected as training is disrupted
- GNFS launches investigation into the cause of the blaze
A devastating fire has destroyed a fashion training centre at Top High in Kumasi, leaving property worth thousands of cedis in ruins and disrupting the training of dozens of apprentices.
The fire broke out at about 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 23, engulfing sewing machines, fabrics, clothing materials and other equipment used at the facility.
Firefighters from the KNUST and Asokore Mampong Fire Stations responded swiftly to the scene and managed to bring the blaze under control after nearly an hour, preventing it from spreading to nearby shops and residential buildings.
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has since launched investigations to determine the cause of the fire.
The affected facility, Adoma Fashion School, serves as a training centre for at least 30 students and workers, many of whom have been left devastated by the destruction.
The school’s Secretary, Adom May, said the fire started unexpectedly while she was arranging clothes at the entrance of the shop.
She explained that smoke was first spotted coming from a small room inside the building, prompting workers to suspect an electrical fault and switch off power outlets. However, the fire spread rapidly within minutes despite efforts to control it with a fire extinguisher before firefighters arrived.
The incident has left workers and apprentices in shock as they assessed the charred remains of the facility.
Several apprentices said the school was not only their training centre but also their source of livelihood, expressing uncertainty about how they would continue their vocational education following the destruction.
One apprentice appealed to the government and benevolent individuals to support the school’s owner in rebuilding the facility, noting that she was already facing personal challenges, including caring for a newborn baby.
KNUST District Fire Commander, DOII Anthony Appiah, said the Fire Service received a distress call at 7:40 a.m. and arrived at the scene within five minutes before requesting additional support from the Asokore Mampong Fire Station.
He said the combined efforts of both fire crews brought the blaze under control in less than an hour.
DOII Appiah revealed that although the shop had a fire extinguisher, workers and bystanders did not know how to use it, preventing them from containing the fire in its early stages.
He urged business owners and the public to seek training from the Ghana National Fire Service on the proper use of fire extinguishers, stressing that such knowledge could help prevent minor fires from escalating into major disasters.
The latest incident is reported to be the third fire outbreak at the same building, raising fresh concerns among traders and residents over the safety of lives and property in the Tech–Top High area of Kumasi.
