Fuel tanker explosion leaves filling station, 5 vehicles burnt

Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) had a hectic time battling the blaze.

This is the second time there had been a fire accident at the fuel station. A minor one occurred last two years.

Briefing Graphic Online at the scene of the accident, a Fire Officer at the Ashanti Regional Office, Richard Asante said the regional office of the GNFS received a distress call that the fuel station had caught fire at around 12.45 pm, following which personnel rushed to the scene.

He said upon arrival, the situation was found to be very serious, compelling the firemen to apply for two additional fire appliances from the Manhyia and Bekwai Fire Stations.

According to an eyewitness, Samuel Danso, the fuel tanker arrived at the fuel station to offload petrol in the morning.

He said after midday when the tanker was discharging the fuel, there was a loud explosion and the tanker went into flames.

Attamepts by people around to save the situation with fire extinguishers did not work as the fire spread out of control.

With the blaze spreading, the fire fighters were called in and it took them more than an hour to bring the fire under control.

In a related development, a 'bush fire' which occurred near a fuel station at Kodie, the capital of Afigya Kwabre District, Wednesday, nearly burnt the district assembly office located in a building at  a fuel station.

It took the timely response of personnel from the GNFS from Offinso to prevent the fire from spreading to the district assembly offices.

According to the DCE, Mr Kaakyire Oppong Kyekyeku, the incident occured at a time the assembly was holding a management meeting. 

Story & picture by Joseph Kyei-Boateng