Fire guts Ibrahim Mahama’s heritage train

A vintage railway carriage owned by Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama has been destroyed by fire in the Northern Region, dealing a blow to private efforts to preserve elements of the country’s railway heritage.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, February 18, during repair works on the ageing rail asset.

Mr Mahama disclosed the loss in a Facebook post the following day, describing the event as deeply distressing and suggesting that it might have been avoided.

“Yesterday night we had a tragic misfortune of loosing one of our trains to fire due to sparks from ongoing repairs. Certainly I am sure if a lot more care had been taken this could have been prevented,” he posted. 

“This was one of the most difficult object to collect almost two years ago and the last in line for body repairs due to the rust it had accumulated over the years. No one was injured thankfully. Our hearts may be broken but our spirits are as high as ever. Special thanks to the National Fire service for their response and all members of our community within the locality. Please be cautious in this dry season”.

The train was part of some of Ghana’s earliest railway stock, long withdrawn from operational use. It had been acquired nearly two years ago after what Mr Mahama indicated was a challenging process, and had been awaiting structural restoration because of severe corrosion.

While the blaze reduced the carriage to ruins, no casualties were recorded. The artist expressed relief that no one was harmed, even as he acknowledged the emotional weight of the loss.

He commended the swift response of the Ghana National Fire Service and thanked residents in the surrounding community for their support during the emergency.

The fire comes at a time of heightened vulnerability to outbreaks due to the dry season, prompting Mr Mahama to caution the public to take preventive measures, particularly during repair activities that involve heat or sparks.