All flags at half-mast as Ghana begins three days of national mourning

Ghana begins national mourning for people that lost their lives at a huge fire incident in fueling station last week Wednesday.

 “As we go about our work and other duties during the 3 days, let us remember the victims and pray for their souls and pray for strength and comfort for their families and friends,” the minister said.

Government has also taken responsibility for the hospital bills of all victims of the flood and fire, as directed by the President.

In addition, water, food and non-food items, have been distributed to affected persons and communities.

The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) said its preliminary investigations into the explosion at the GOIL fuel station at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, had revealed that some valves were not properly tightened, leading to the inferno.

Officials of the GNFS were yet to reveal the exact number of people who lost their lives.
Deputy Public Relations Officer of the GNFS, Billy Anaglatey, said the failure to tighten the valves of the fuel storage bay by the fuel attendants, allowed the fuel to float on the surface of the flood water, which came into contact with fire 100 meters away from the station.

It added that the fire then moved on the fuel on the water, back to the service station, leading to the explosion.

“We realised that some of the valves were not properly closed, so the running water was entering into the underground tank and because of density factor, it went under the fuel and pushed the fuel up,” he said.

Report says the floods brought down houses, washed away roads and vehicles, and caused huge havoc, displacing thousands of people.