Dr Afriyie (2nd left) interacting with one of the injured persons
The Western Regional Minister, Dr Kweku Afriyie, has described as a miracle the fact that no death was recorded in last Tuesday’s gas explosion that occurred on the Takoradi-Sekondi main road.
According to him, looking at the extent of damage to property of the Ghana Household Utility Company (GHUMCO) – the aluminum manufacturing company where the explosion occurred and other entities affected – it was a miracle that no one died in the incident.
“I am surprised because looking at the way a gas tanker was split into two and the explosion sounding like an inter-continental ballistic missile, 50 to 60 people could easily have died,” he indicated.
Dr Kweku Afriyie continued, “Even though lots of people were injured, I think we should thank God that no one was killed and none of those on admission has died.”
He stated this when he visited the victims of the gas explosion who are on admission at various health facilities in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis as well as the scene of the incident.
His first port of call was the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi where about 84 of the injured persons were initially admitted.
As at the time the minister visited, 15 of them were still on admission, including two fire service personnel and a police officer.
A woman who was 40 weeks pregnant and was on her way to a hospital for her routine checks was affected and also admitted.
According to the acting medical director of the hospital, Dr Richard Anthony, the pregnant woman delivered through a caesarian session.
From the Effia-Nkwanta Hospital, the regional minister visited the GHAPOHA Hospital in Takoradi where the head of Health Services, Dr Vitus Victor Anaab, told him that 28 people were admitted.
At the Takoradi Hospital, 14 of the injured persons were on admission, out of whom three were being prepared to be transferred to Interburton Hospital in Cape Coast.
Dr Kweku Afriyie assured the victims that the government would collaborate with the authorities of GHUMCO to settle their medical bills.
According to him, none of the victims should be left untreated and appealed to the public and other institutions to assist in diverse ways to ensure the speedy recovery of the victims.
Over 122 persons, including six fire officers, were severely injured in a massive gas explosion that rocked a depot on the main Sekondi-Takoradi road on Tuesday.
About six personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), who initially went to the scene to help douse the raging inferno, were injured together with other pedestrians and passengers – most of who were workers on their way to work – when a second explosion occurred.
One of the injured fire officers, who was in critical condition, was transported to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital for treatment.
According to the eyewitnesses, more than six fire tenders were dispatched to the scene to control the spread of the inferno.
The incident also affected other nearby entities, including Total filling station and OLAM Warehouse – which was the most affected.
Some students of Opportunities Industrialization Centre (OIC) along the Sekondi-Takoradi main road were also affected.
The gas cylinders which reportedly exploded
From Emmanuel Opoku, Sekondi