UPDATE: Over 80 dead in floods-induced fuel station fire
The death toll in Wednesday night’s fire disaster at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle has risen to over 80 with the police and Fire Service personnel searching burnt out homes for more bodies.
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Several others who were earlier on rescued had been taken to various hospitals for treatment of burns, some very serious. Several vehicles have also been burnt.
It is unclear what could have started the fire that completely destroyed the filling station next to the GCB Bank Circle Tower branch, and also burnt several houses and shops. Eyewitnesses suspect fuel laden floods could have imported the fire which trapped many who had sought refuge from torrential rains that cut off several communities from major roads.
The floods have also destroyed property across the country and in the capital in particular, scenes of floating vehicles in drains and overnight pools greet the eye in several places.
The police, army, fire personnel and others from the National Disaster Management Organisation have been out all night helping with rescue services or directing people away from danger, while traffic flow has been very chaotic.
Many commuters Wednesday night trekked home from work on foot after the capital endured several hours of rain for the second day running.
Other communities are also reporting deaths from the floods as homes have been reduced to ponds. There was widespread power outages in the capital, a situation Communications Minister Dr. Edward Omane Boamah attributed to a malfunction at the Achimota sub-station of the Electricity Company of Ghana.
His ministry also put forth emergency numbers for those affected to call for help, explaining that “As a result of the rains in and around Accra over the past two days, many suburbs of Accra and surrounding parts have been heavily affected leading to heavy restriction of movement of people.
“The traffic situation has worsened on some roads, and fast flowing rainwater is also impeding vehicular movement on some others.
“The Achimota sub-station has been affected by the floodwater, leading to an emergency cut in power supply to a number of communities, which were otherwise not programmed to go off tonight.
Residents are informed that personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service and the National Disaster Management Organisation have been deployed to intervene and provide emergency services to affected persons.
“The general public is kindly advised to avoid fast moving rainwater, and areas they know have big drains. Stay on higher ground, where necessary, to prevent loss of life.”
The statement appealed for all to “… remain calm, restrict your movement as much as possible as we work assiduously to address this national emergency.”