Fire outbreak on the bungalow of Tempane SHS headmaster blamed on poor electrical wiring

20-10-2011        

Officials from the Bawku Fire Station has blamed the recent fire outbreak on the bungalow of the headmaster of the Tempane Senior High School on poor electrical connection and the use of inferior electrical cables used in wiring. This was disclosed by the headmaster of the school, Issah Sannie Mahama during an interview with Radio Ghana at Bolgatanga. He said after careful assessment by the Bawku Fire Officials, it was detected that the materials used in wiring and other fittings were not up to quality standard. The said bungalow he said was too big to have only one phase electrical connection because fire officials confirmed that one phase wiring was not able to supply power to numerous electrical gadget that were in the room. According to the VRA Officials, the house needed 3 phase wiring. It could be recalled that on October,11,2011 at about 1.00pm,firegutted the bungalow of the Tempane SHS headmaster which resulted in a stampede at the senior block of the one storey 12-Unit classroom block with students shouting for help as smoke gashed out of windows and flames penetrating through the roof.  Some of the students got injured in the process as they crashed with each other at the exit points in the various classrooms.  One student according to reliable source jumped from a story building to the ground and was rushed to the nearby clinic for medical attention. Though no life was lost during the fire outbreak, properties running into thousands of Ghana Cedis including certificates and other school documents were destroyed.  Students and staff at the school exhibited high skill of responsibility by attending to the incidence, thereby bringing the fire under control before the late arrival of the fire tender from Bawku. Asked whether he was aware of the poor electrical connection, the headmaster said at any point in time there was thunder, the lights in the house goes off. Subsequently, the power supply in the school is low and leads to constant fluctuations. This situation he revealed occurred on October, 9 when it rained the previous night. According to him, they all left for their individual work places and at exactly 1.00pm, the fire started.  The Headmaster and his family have since moved to settle in Garu, whiles commuting to school at Tempane which is a distance of 3 miles. The Headmaster later expressed his appreciation to the District Chief Executive, NADMO officials from Garu, officers from the Garu Education office, members from the various religious groups, the police and all those who came to sympathize with him. He also showed gratitude to students and staff of the school for their show of concern and urged them to keep it up. Mr. Mahama used the medium to appeal to all concern to help connect all the classrooms and administration block to three phases to avoid further outbreak. He moreover called on government and all stakeholders to come to the aid of the school by putting up a very decent house for him to enable him stay and have full control of the school.

GBC                                                          END                                                                         IA/