ONE DIE, SEVERAL WOUNDED IN GAS FIRE (PAGE 29, APRIL 5, 2010)

One died, several people also sustained various degrees of injury, while about seven structures were razed down when fire gutted a gas terminal which operated from a one-storey building at Tema Manhean about 9.15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 31, 2010.
Also burnt were two gas tankers which reportedly exploded when they were offloading gas into a reserved tank at the station, resulting in the fire–outbreak.
The deceased, who was identified as Alfred Otoo, an attendant at the Redeemer Gas Point and Agapet Filling Station where the fire started, died at the Tema General Hospital early on Thursday morning.
When the Daily Graphic got to the scene, electricity connection to Tema Manhean had been disconnected, there was stampede, as residents were running away from the vicinity, and drivers were ensuring that their vehicles got to safe grounds. There were reports that some children had been knocked down in the process as there was fear and panic among residents.
According to an eyewitness, about 9.15 p.m. on that day, residents heard a blast at the gas station, suddenly followed by fire which engulfed the discharging terminal and other structures at the facility.
He said the deceased, in an attempt to save his life, ran through the fire but he sustained serious burns and died the following morning at the Tema General Hospital.
The devastating fire spread fast because there was gas in the reserves and the area was near the beach.
It took the combined efforts of personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service, the Tema Oil Refinery Fire Brigade and the Eastern Naval Command about two hours to bring the fire under control.
The Tema Regional Fire Service Commander, Mr Gilford Tetteh Adams, said there was heightened suspicion that there had been a leakage on the gas facility.
He noted that the GNFS would conduct investigations to identify where the leakage was, noting that the least opening on a gas facility could be dangerous.
Mr Adams cautioned operators of gas terminals to obtain the necessary fire certificates and fire fighting equipment.
As of midday on Thursday, fire personnel were found cooling off the area with water to ensure that no hidden fire came up.
They were also in the process of dislodging gas reserves to ensure that there was nothing left in the tanks.
Mr Adams said the personnel would be positioned there for some time till normalcy was restored.
The Deputy Director of Nursing Services in charge of Surgical Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Tema General Hospital, Madam Paula Payel, confirmed the death of the deceased.
She said two other victims of the fire who sustained various degrees of injury were on admission at the hospital, while a third surviving victim whose condition was critical had been transferred to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.