Fire Destroys Girls’ Dormitory of Tolon SHS; 173 Students Affected

A fire has destroyed part of the girls’ dormitory at Tolon Senior High School, affecting more than 173 female students.

The incident happened in the early hours of February 2, around 6:30 a.m. Ten students who were badly shocked were taken to the Tolon Hospital for treatment. Many of the girls say they are still traumatised by the incident.

The fire completely burnt the first floor of the dormitory. Items such as books, school uniforms, mattresses, and chop boxes were all destroyed.

Firefighters from the Ghana National Fire Service arrived on time and stopped the fire from spreading to the west block of the building.

The Headmaster of Tolon SHS, Mohammed Kamil Ziblim, described the incident as unfortunate. He said teachers had to quickly step in to control the situation and help the students. According to him, 173 girls were affected, and ten had to be rushed to the hospital because their condition was serious.

The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) has taken notice of the incident. The Deputy Administrator of GETFund, Alhassan Dandawa, who was on an official visit to NOBISCO after a similar fire, promised quick action to ensure students do not lose learning time. He said the cause of the fire must be investigated, especially since girls’ dormitories have been affected in recent incidents.

He also stressed the need for proper fire safety systems in school buildings, saying fire safety must be taken seriously.

The Northern Regional Minister, Ali Adolf Mbordiba, also visited the school and assured management of government support.

Meanwhile, school authorities have asked 127 of the most affected students to go home for one week.

This is the second fire outbreak involving girls’ dormitories in the Northern Region within two weeks, with more than a thousand students affected.