Fire at Job 600 building: No casualties recorded—Parliament

The Parliament of Ghana has confirmed that no casualties were recorded during the fire incident at the Job 600 building early Tuesday, August 27, 2024.

Fire gutted parts of the building, causing damage to a storeroom, although the exact cause of the fire remains unknown. Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service promptly extinguished the fire.

Staff and workers were swiftly evacuated to designated assembly points as emergency services worked to douse the fire.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, August 27, Parliament acknowledged that the extent of the damage is still unknown. However, it thanked the firefighters for their swift response to the incident.

“Parliament would like to assure the public that there were no casualties, although the extent of damage is yet to be determined.”

The statement added that the Clerk to Parliament, in consultation with Speaker, Alban Bagbin, has directed that, as a precautionary measure, all Members of Parliament and Staff vacate the precincts of Parliament and return on Wednesday, August 28, 2024.

“The Clerk to Parliament, in consultation with the Rt Hon Speaker, has directed that, as a precautionary measure, all Members of Parliament and Staff should vacate the precincts of Parliament and return tomorrow, Wednesday, 28th August 2024. A skeletal staff are, however, to be at the post to deal with contingencies.”

Investigations are ongoing to determine the source and extent of the damage.