At least thirteen people have been rendered homeless after a fire razed a seven-room residential building in Ga, a community in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region, on Friday, January 16, 2026.
According to reports, the fire broke out in the afternoon while many residents were at the mosque observing Jummah prayers. By the time personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in the Upper West Regional capital, Wa, arrived at the scene, the inferno had already consumed the entire structure, leaving nothing to be salvaged.
Fortunately, no lives were lost, as all occupants of the building—including nurses and teachers—were away at their respective workplaces at the time of the incident. However, the fire destroyed all personal belongings, including motorbikes and household items, reducing them to ashes.
The cause of the fire remains unknown and is yet to be officially determined.
The owner of the building, Mr. Kobina Issahaku, together with the Assembly Member for Ga and community leaders, has appealed to stakeholders, benevolent organizations, and the general public to support the affected residents as they struggle to rebuild their lives.
The incident has once again highlighted the urgent need for the decentralization of fire services, with calls growing louder for the stationing of fire personnel and tenders closer to rural and peri-urban communities to enable swift emergency response and minimize losses in future fire outbreaks.
