The accident scene
Panic gripped Suame Magazine Zone 18 in Kumasi yesterday when a carbide cylinder exploded, leaving a man in his 40s critically injured.
The victim, a driver’s assistant, reportedly lost his left hand and sustained severe head injuries in the blast. He is currently fighting for his life at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), where doctors are working to stabilise his condition.
Eyewitnesses said the victim had gone to the mechanic shop with his driver to repair their faulty vehicle when the tragedy struck.
“We suddenly heard a loud explosion,” narrated Kwame Appiah, a witness. “When we got there, the man was lying in a pool of blood with deep cuts on his head. It was terrifying.”
He explained that the incident occurred while the victim was waiting for both his master and the shop owner. The circumstances surrounding how the cylinder detonated remain unclear.
The badly injured man was first sent to the Tafo Government Hospital, but was quickly transferred to KATH due to the severity of his injuries.
The blast has sent shockwaves across the Suame Magazine enclave, with many artisans expressing fear over the safety of using carbide cylinders in their daily activities.
Police and local authorities are yet to issue an official statement, but investigations are expected to be launched to determine the cause of the explosion.
FROM David Afum, Kumasi