A total of 5,585 fire outbreaks were recorded nationwide between January and November 2025, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has disclosed.

The Chief Fire Officer of the GNFS, Daniella Mawusi Ntow Sarpong, revealed this during an interview on TV3’s Hot Issues on Sunday, January 11, 2026.

“From January to November, we have recorded 5,585 fires, both residential and non-residential, including market fires,” she stated.

The figure represents a marginal decline compared to the same period in 2024, when 5,596 fire outbreaks were recorded.

Ms Ntow Sarpong attributed the persistent incidents largely to negligence, stressing that many fire outbreaks are preventable.

“I will say it is negligence on the part of the citizenry because there are things that are preventable. We don’t wait for it to occur before we try to manage it, so the negligence is too much on the part of the citizenry,” she said.

She expressed particular concern about unsafe practices in markets, noting that safety advice is often ignored.

“You advise them they don’t take it. You go to the market and they are using cylinders all over and the market managers are not also helping,” she added.

The chief fire officer urged the public to be safety-conscious and remain vigilant about activities that could trigger fires.

She also warned that the GNFS will, from this year, intensify enforcement against individuals and property owners who fail to subject their premises to mandatory inspection and certification by the service.