Premix Fuel dump explosion claims four lives

Takoradi, June 23, GNA - Four persons have been confirmed dead after fire gutted a premix fuel dump on Friday at Bawire and Akyinim, a twin fishing community, near Axim, in the Nzema East District.

Eight seriously injured victims are being treated at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital while 20 others are on admission at various health facilities.

The Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital Administrator, Mr. Asare Bediako Micah, told the GNA on Saturday that the eight persons were airlifted with the assistance of the Military helicopters provided by the Takoradi Airforce Station.

He said those referred to the Korle-Bu Hospital sustained severe burns saying, "About 80 per cent of their bodies were burnt and we had to quickly arrange for their transfer to Accra to forestall further complications."

Mr. Micah explained that out of the 11 victims who were brought in from the Axim Government Hospital, one person died thereby bringing the total death toll to four.

At the moment two victims are at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital and responding to treatment.

Meanwhile, the Axim Government Hospital Administrator, Mr. Joseph Ayie, revealed that five other victims who sustained minor injuries had been discharged from the hospital while 10 others were under observation.

He noted that some relatives of the victims had contacted the hospital authorities to identify some of the injured.

Mr. Ayie asked people whose relatives had not returned home to contact the hospital authorities for identification.

The fuel dump reportedly exploded when a generator being used by the attendants, after electricity had gone off, to power it sparked.

Those affected were mostly fishermen, who were purchasing the product to power their outboard motors after there had been a shortage of the product for a while.

GNA