A soaring number of fire outbreaks recorded across the country, mostly associated with poor electrical wiring, resulting in damages and loss of properties and sometimes the loss of lives.
The Ghana National Fire Service as of November 2020 recorded an estimated 5,033 fire outbreaks nationwide as against 4,623 within the same 10-month period in 2020, which indicates an 8 per cent rise, with 126 institutional fire outbreaks. The damage to properties was estimated at GH¢28,421,058.18.
Critical observations made by the Public Digest Newspaper within the administration block of the Ghana Institute of Journalism GIJ main campus in Accra, Osu seem to suggest the failure of the institution to pay critical attention to a potential trigger to fire outbreaks. The rather unfortunate system wiring at a unit within the administration block.
The clean and brightly painted blue and white walls at the entrance to the General Registry made it seemly impossible to overlook the jungle of electrical wires above the right corner of the entrance to the office. This electrical mess which seems to have been overlooked for a long possess serious danger if not attended to considering how close the blooming danger is to the ceiling.
The rather poor and ignored style of wiring within an institution of high stature seems to have been overlooked by management for years. Considering the functions of the registry including record keeping, documentation of both students and possibly employees of the institution, with a likelihood to contain easily flammable materials including files and computers, the fear of containing a likely fire outbreak could go out of hands.
Upon further observations, the wires were rattled together from different departments streaming through one side of the walls. Also, a hanging electrical box could be spotted right next to the entrance leading to the corridors of the accounts section of the build, which looks ignored for a long while.
Further checks on-site revel that, about 40% of the structure housing the administration is made from wood used to demarcate some departments. The corridors and the staircase to the top floor are equally made of wood. This raises high safety concerns. There were no fire extinguishers close to the place of concern. The narrow staircase remains the only point for the building and this raises a serious issue of concern.
The authorities are however yet to be contacted for a response.
Source: Samuel Awuni
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