Gas explosion injures two at Dansoman (Update)

Two persons, including a 70-year-old man,  sustained severe burns when a gas tank in a car parked at a filling station near Wesley Grammar Senior High School at Dansoman in Accra exploded yesterday.

The victims, whose identities were not immediately known, were taken to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and subsequently admitted to the theatre for emergency surgery.

According to eyewitnesses, only the 70-year-old man’s face was unaffected.

The other victim, who was sitting in the car which exploded, was severely burnt and his right toe chopped off.

 Some parts of a taxicab that was parked a few metres away from the filling station was destroyed. 

Angry residents of Dansoman who besieged the premises of the filling station immediately the incident occurred, forced the owner to close the filling station.

Explosion

According to Mr Eric Anane, an eyewitness, the incident happened at 8 a.m. yesterday. He said the explosion happened so fast that  even though he was standing about 20 metres away he and others did not see it happen.

Mr Anane, however, expressed the conviction that the explosion came from a leaking gas tank in a vehicle, after the driver turned on the ignition. 

Fuming residents

Some residents who spoke to the Daily Graphic said they were living in fear since the filling station was close to their houses.

Madam Eunice Amissah said the location of the filling station posed a danger to the residents, especially those who lived close to the Wesley Grammar School.