The Northern Regional Command of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has raised serious concerns over the growing incidence of prank emergency calls, revealing that a total of 67,200 such calls were recorded in 2025, with as many as 1,400 received within a single week.
The Command disclosed that on some days, more than 100 prank calls were logged, a situation it says diverts critical resources and puts lives and property at significant risk.
In a statement released in the Command’s annual performance report, the region recorded 377 fire outbreaks between January 1 and December 31, 2025, representing a marginal increase of four cases compared to the 373 fires recorded in 2024.
The estimated cost of damage to property in 2025 stood at GH₵159,081,662, more than double the GH₵68,217,224 recorded in the previous year.
Despite the increase in fire incidents and the cost of damage, the Service reported significant success in salvaging property.
Items valued at over GH₵150 million were saved from fire destruction in 2025, a development the Command attributed to improved public awareness and timely interventions. On average, one fire outbreak was recorded daily throughout the year.
The report further indicated that two lives were regrettably lost through fire incidents in 2025, while no deaths were recorded from flooding, bee invasion, or rescue operations at heights.
In terms of road traffic collisions, four incidents were recorded, resulting in two fatalities and one injury. This represents a decrease compared to 2024, which recorded five incidents, four deaths, and 20 injuries.
A total of 145 “out-before-arrival” fire cases were recorded in 2025, slightly higher than the 143 recorded in 2024.
January and December emerged as the months with the highest number of fires, recording 65 and 52 cases, respectively.
Domestic fires topped the list with 148 incidents, followed by commercial and electrical fires with 54 cases each, bushfires with 14, vehicular and institutional fires with 17 each, industrial fires with two cases, and 19 other fire incidents.
The Command also expressed concern over the persistent trend of fires involving uncompleted buildings, particularly in new settlements. Seventeen of such incidents were recorded in 2025, accounting for 4.5 per cent of all fires in the region.
Common causes of fires identified include electrical faults, gas leakages, unattended cooking, lit candles, mosquito coils, cigarette butts, welding activities, bush burning, and deliberate acts.
The GNFS noted that the slight increase in fire outbreaks was largely due to the harsh harmattan conditions experienced during the first and last quarters of 2025, coupled with non-adherence to basic fire safety practices, especially in domestic settings.
However, the high number of out-before-arrival cases was cited as evidence that public education and sensitization efforts are yielding positive results, as many residents are now able to control minor fires before the arrival of firefighters.
The Northern Regional Command has therefore appealed to the public to desist from pranking emergency lines, including 191 and 112, as well as the Service’s direct lines in the region, to allow for prompt response to genuine emergencies.
The Command also urged the public to adopt safer attitudes toward the use of naked flames, gas appliances, and electrical equipment to prevent avoidable fires.
Despite the challenges, the Command reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying public safety education in collaboration with the public.
As part of its 2026 strategy, the Service plans to roll out a sensitization initiative dubbed “One Fire Officer, One School”, aimed at deepening fire safety awareness among students across the region.
