Over 40 victims from the explosion are still receiving treatment at the 37 Military Hospital and the Korle Bu teaching hospital after sustaining various degrees of injuries.

The Director of the National Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Opoku Ware Ampomah outlined to Citi News that “a total of six were brought to the burns unit. Three of them were badly burnt, more that 90 percent burnt, and for those ones, the chances of survival are very low wherever you are in the world.”

“The idea was to make them comfortable, to ease their suffering so those three have passed away. The other three are stable. One died less the 24 hours ago, the other died on Friday night and the other on Saturday,” Dr, Ampomah said.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ghana National Fire Service have shut down the Louis gas station at Labadi which was the scene of a gas explosion last Thursday.

Preliminary investigations have pointed to a gas leakage at the station which led to the explosion according to the Ghana National Fire Service.

Meanwhile, government has assured survivors of the explosion currently receiving medical attention will have all bills paid by the state.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Labadi explosion: Death toll rises to 10 appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The explosion which occurred last Thursday has left 10 persons dead so far.

[contextly_sidebar id=”2XVhy2Kgsj9AkAsTeDepv55GUaGOgons”]The Deputy Public Relations Officer for the Ghana National Fire Service, Prince Billy Anaglatey, indicated that investigations were still ongoing though he noted that an assessment would be needed to settle on the definite cause of the fire.

“The investigation does not really settle on the cause of the fire but the other facilities that the regulators or the agencies that are responsible are examining to determine what might have happened prior to the fire.”

“For us to determine all this, the fuel station must be closed down to enable the regulators to have an adequate assessment of what exactly happened here,” Mr. Anaglate explained to Citi News

In the meantime, Mr. Anaglate said the Fire Service’s “preliminary investigations pointed to the fact that there was a leakage.”

The Labadi gas explosion has rekindled the debate around the location of fuel stations in residential areas, but the Fire Service has said enforcing safety measures will reduce the fire incidents.

Mr. Anaglate insisted that “it is not about the siting of the filling stations; it is about the lack of maintenance of safety measures put in place. If you are able to ensure that safety measures are put in place and are maintained, you have reduced the hazard associated to the barest minimum. So it is not about the siting.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Gas station at centre of Labadi explosion closed appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This brings to nine, the number of persons who have died as a result of last Thursday’s incident.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Health, Tony Goodman who confirmed the development to Citi News said the Minister of Health, Mr Alex Segbefia has ordered the health institutions treating injured persons from the incident to submit their bills for payment from government.

“I can confirm to you from our review that there are 9 people who died from the disaster. Because it is a disaster we don’t want people [the injured] to be thinking about how to pay bills and at the end of the day that also brings another hardship to them.”

“The President has assured that the bills will be taken care of so the minister has asked the hospitals to submit the bills as soon as possible so that the bills are paid to them.”

He said the Ministry’s assessment showed the various health facilities had adequate equipment to effectively treat the patients.

“When we went there, in terms of logistics, they are on point; they have adequate logistics to take care of the patients,” Tony Goodman said.

More than 40 victims of the explosion are currently on admission at various hospitals in Accra including the 37 Military hospital, Police hospital, La general hospital and the Korle-Bu teaching hospital.

The explosion occurred at about 4pm on Thursday, December 22, between the Labadi Cemetery and the Trade Fair Centre.

It took fire officers more than four hours to control the inferno which had spread to nearby shops and parts of the Trade Fair Centre.

‘Survivors doing well’ – Mahama

President Mahama on Friday, December 23rd said the survivors of the explosion were “doing well”, when he visited some of them at the 37 Military Hospital.

In a post on Facebook, the President expressed his condolences to the families of those who had lost their lives in the accident while calling on Ghanaians to pray for the quick recovery of those who were currently on admission at the various hospitals receiving medical care.

Time for strict enforcement of safety regulations – Akufo Addo

Meanwhile, President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo has called for better adherence to safety regulations in the country following the incident. In a series of tweets on Twitter, Nana Akufo-Addo said it was about time the country took a second look at the siting of gas stations. “I’ve learnt with sadness of the news of a gas explosion near the Trade Fair Centre, resulting in the loss of 6 lives, and injuries to others. My deepest condolences to the families of the bereaved, and I wish the injured a speedy recovery,” he said.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post La gas explosion: 3 more confirmed dead appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

In a Facebook update on Friday morning, he called on Ghanaians to continue to pray for the injured.

About 39 persons are reported injured and 5 confirmed dead.

According to the deputy minister of Health Victor Bampoe, 27 of the injured are currently receiving treatment at the 37 Military Hospital with 6 at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and 6 at the La General Hospital.

The explosion occurred at about 4pm on Thursday between the Labadi Cemetery and the Trade Fair Centre.

It took fire officers more than four hours to control the inferno which had spread to nearby shops and parts of the Trade Fair Centre.

Time for strict enforcement of safety regulations – Akufo Addo

Meanwhile, President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo has called for better adherence to safety regulations in the country following the incident.

In a series of tweets on Twitter, Nana Akufo-Addo said it was about time the country took a second look at the siting of gas stations.

“I’ve learnt with sadness of the news of a gas explosion near the Trade Fair Centre, resulting in the loss of 6 lives, and injuries to others. My deepest condolences to the families of the bereaved, and I wish the injured a speedy recovery,” he said.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Mahama mourns Labadi gas explosion victims appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.