The Ghana Fire Service says it preliminary investigations into the La gas explosion point to missing bolts and nuts on a tanker emptying gas at the station as the possible cause of the fire.
The Thursday incident at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra is said to have occurred when the machine emptying the gas into the containers on site caught fire and lighted the electric cables close to the gas station.
The Fire Service’s preliminary investigations confirm National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Moses Asaga’s revelation that the gas explosion was caused by the ‘irresponsible human error’ of the operators of the gas tanker.
He explained in an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show last Friday that two bolts which should have tightened the lid on the gas tanker were missing.
Billy Anaglatey, Deputy PRO of the Fire Service giving an update on the investigations into the incident revealed to Joy News that their inquiries also point to a human error.
According to him, “various bolts and nuts holding onto to the holding point of the gas tanker itself, the one that had gotten there to discharge gas, [were missing]. That was the spot that exploded…”
The Fire Services, he added, is currently conducting further investigations “to determine whether those bolts and nuts got out as a result of the pressure build up within the tanker or they got off probably because they were not properly secured.”
The Fire Service Deputy PRO said his outfit is still interviewing witnesses to get more information on the incident.
The total number of deaths is now 11 with close to 40 others receiving treatment after sustaining various degrees of injury from the explosion.
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