Yesterday, Thurday, July 21, there could have been a deadly explosion at Effia, Western Region, were it not for the timely intervention of a combined force of personnel from the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana National Fire Service.
A fuel attendant stated that a fuel tanker with the registration number GT 1678-11 had come to their filling station to offload a product when the incident happened.
Speaking to reporters, the fuel tanker’s driver, Nuhu Sumana, stated that he arrived at the Pacific Oil Filling Station at around 1:00 pm Thursday to discharge the product to client.
While entering the station, the driver beckoned his mate to restrain the truck so he could enter slowly.
Unfortunately, the restraining material could not hold the tyres causing the tanker to veer off the road and crushing into a parked vehicle opposite the fuel station. The tanker then tipped and spilled the petroleum content.
Within minutes, the residents around rushed to scene with gallons to siphon the fuel as it spilled. Western Regional Police MTTD Commander, Chief Superintendent Isaac Sokpah and other officers were present but this did not scare the residents from siphoning the product. They didn’t even care about their lives.
As the residents siphoned the product, a team from the Ghana National Fire Service arrived at the scene to rescue the situation. Western Region Deputy Public Relations Officer Linda Pongo of Ghana National Fire Service said;
We immediately arrived at the scene after receiving a distress call. The recovery truck also just arrived here and will proceed with the recovery. We are also waiting for police reinforcement to help prevent the public from siphoning the product because anything can happen…With the slightest spark there could be an explosion. The policemen here are not enough. We have also called ECG to cut supply to this area.
