Labone SHS Fire: Authorities provide dormitories for affected students

Authorities of Labone Senior High School in Accra have provided alternative dormitories for students affected by Sunday afternoon’s fire outbreak while awaiting the next line of action.

The fire swept through three girls’ dormitories out of the six while students were on afternoon prep.

According to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), one dormitory was completely destroyed, while two others suffered partial damage.

However, a visit by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to the school on Monday revealed that the 155 students affected have been relocated to an extension of the girls’ dormitory on campus.

Spaces were created to enable others to join their mates on the ground floor of the dormitories that were salvaged, and the rest were made to occupy one of the head teacher’s bungalows yet to be occupied.

Mrs Vera Akpakli, the Assistant Headmistress Domestic, told the GNA that aside from those measures, students who were traumatised as a result of the inferno had been counselled.

She also noted that some parents had come for their wards even though school was in session.

Mrs Akpakli said so far, the Minister of Education, Municipal Director, Regional Director and Member of Parliament had all visited the school to offer their support.

She called for enhanced security to ensure students’ safety and more dormitories to house the school’s over 4000 student population.

“We have over one thousand day students who wish to be boarders, but because the dormitories are not enough, we cannot house all of them,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) says it has commenced investigations into the fire outbreak.

Assistant Divisional Officer (ADO) Alex King Nartey, a member of the Public Relations team of the GNFS, said, “We have commenced full investigations to ascertain the cause of the fire.

Fortunately, no injuries have been reported, and the displaced students have been relocated temporarily,” he added.