Firefighters from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) have successfully contained a fire that broke out at the Medical Laboratory buildings of the Korle Bu Medical School late on Tuesday night, June 18, 2025.
According to a statement from the Greater Accra Region’s GNFS Public Relations Office, the service received a distress call at exactly 11:50 PM GMT, reporting a fire in the school’s laboratory complex. The affected areas included the Accounts Office, Stores, Administration, and Archives sections of the Medical Laboratory building.
A rapid multi-station response was deployed, involving personnel and equipment from the Regional Headquarters Substation, Accra City Fire Station, National Headquarters Substation, and the Ministries Fire Station. The fire was brought under control by 12:43 AM and fully extinguished by 4:10 AM on Wednesday.
The GNFS confirmed that no injuries were recorded, crediting the successful containment to the efficiency and professionalism of the responding fire crews.
Importantly, adjacent buildings such as the Allied Sciences Building, the Diabetic Centre, and the Stores Annexe were saved from the fire due to the timely intervention of the firefighters.
“The cause of the fire remains under investigation,” the statement mentioned, while commending all personnel involved for their dedication and effective response during the incident.
The GNFS noted that overhauling work was conducted immediately after extinguishing the fire to prevent any potential re-ignition.
This incident raised public concern because the fire occurred within one of Ghana’s most important health institutions. The Korle Bu Medical School is part of the University of Ghana’s College of Health Sciences and is situated within the premises of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
Investigators are expected to assess the extent of damage to critical documents and equipment in the affected units of the laboratory building.
Below are scenes from the outbreak:
