Two people died, with five others sustaining varying degrees of injuries following an explosion that occurred at Joyea Construction at Spintex, a suburb of Accra, the capital of Ghana, Friday afternoon.
The remains of the deceased have been deposited at a morgue while the injured persons are hospitalised and responding to treatment.
Confirming the incident, the Tema Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, DOI Ebenezer Yenzu, said his outfit received a distress call at about 2:20 pm, Friday, and quickly, a team of firefighters was dispatched to the scene.
“The call was about a blast at Joyea Construction and had to respond immediately. We, then, dispatched the personnel at the fire station around Kasapreko to the scene.
“Joyea is into construction works, roofing sheets, trusses and other things. We gathered that one of the oxyacetylene gas tanks used as part of metal fabrication ruptured. Oxyacetylene is obtained by combining acetylene gas and oxygen, and it is used for welding and cutting of metal,” he narrated in an interview with Accra-based Joy News.
He stated that there was no fire generated in the explosion.
However, he said the fire team would be finding out the exact cause of the explosion as several factors could play out.
“Several possibilities could lead to the oxyacetylene tank rupturing. It could be due to leakage from the tank, the nozzle, whether the concentration level was too high, positioning of the tank, exposure to heat and other factors. Our investigations will look at all these,” DOI Yenzu explained.
He said finding the exact cause would help avert a recurrence in future.
Asked if the management of Joyea Construction had shared any information, he said they would engage management and the staff after ensuring the place was safe enough.
“Aside from ensuring safety after the explosion, the Fire Service is monitoring the condition of the five injured,” DOI Yenzu added.
DOI Ebenezer Yenzu advised companies dealing in industrial materials of such nature to continuously monitor their location.
“You need to always check the temperature. Despite the accident happening in an open space, the proximity could be an issue. When dealing with welding equipment, ensure they are a distance from where you’re doing your hot work.
“Periodically, check your hoses, the gauge and nozzle if there are any leakages and anything that matters to ensure safety for all,” he cautioned.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com