A representative for Ghana’s National Fire Service said the flooding “caused the diesel and petrol to flow away from the gas station and a fire from a nearby house led to the explosion.”
According to the fire service of Ghana’s capital, Accra, at least 96 people have died in a fire at a petrol station. Authorities fear the death toll could continue to rise as they struggle to search for bodies.
Local reports suggest that many people were in the petrol station seeking shelter from the rain and floods when the fire broke out.
A representative for Ghana’s National Fire Service said the flooding “caused the diesel and petrol to flow away from the gas station and a fire from a nearby house led to the explosion.”
President John Mahama has visited the petrol station and expressed his condolences for the loss of lives. He called the death toll “catastrophic”.
TV footage depicts charred bodies being piled and many more trapped in the debris. The authorities at the local Military Hospital say their morgue has already reached full capacity.
Rescue efforts have been further hampered by flooding after only two days of heavy rain that has left many homeless, stranded, and out of power.
President Mahama attributed the flooding to “people building in waterways [and] littering the drains”
However, the incident is raising concerns about the quality of the infrastructure in Ghana’s capital. Although the downpours in Accra have been heavy, they are not unusual yet the city’s drainage systems have been insufficient.
Forecasts predict that more rain is on the way.