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The Western Regional Minister, Dr Kweku Afriyie has described as a miracle the fact that no death was recorded in last Tuesday's gas explosion that occurred on the Takoradi - Sekondi main road.

According to him, considering the extent of damage to property of the Ghana Household Utility Company (GHUMCO), the aluminium manufacturing company where the explosion occurred and other entities affected, it was a miracle that no one died.

The Western Regional Minister stated this when he visited the victims of the gas explosion who were on admission at various health facilities in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis as well as the incident scene.
"I am surprised because looking at the way a gas tanker was split into two and the explosion sounding like an inter-continental ballistic missile, more than 60 people could have easily died," he indicated.

He further said "Even though lots of people were injured, I think we should thank God that no one was killed and none of those on admission has died".

Dr Afriyie first visited the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi where about 84 of the injured persons were initially admitted.

As of the time the Regional Minister visited, only 15 of them were still on admission including two fire service personnel and a police officer.

Also on admission was a 40 weeks pregnant woman who was on her way to a hospital for her routine check-up when the accident occurred.

The Acting Medical Director of the Hospital, Dr Richard Anthony, said the expectant mother was delivered through a caesarian session to save the live of the baby and the mother as well.

The Regional Minister also visited the GHAPOHA Hospital in Takoradi where the Head of Health Services, Dr Vitus Victor Anaab said 28 people were admitted.

At the time of the visit 20 were still on admission with 15 of them being workers of GHUMCO.
At the Takoradi Hospital, 14 were on admission out of which three were being prepared to be transferred to the Central Regional Teaching Hospital in Cape Coast.

The Regional Minister assured the victims that the government would collaborate with the authorities of GHUMCO to settle their medical bills.

Dr Afriyie stressed that none of the victims should be left untreated and appealed to the public and other institutions to give the necessary assistance to ensure the speedy recovery of the victims.

More than one hundred and twenty-two persons, including six fire officers, were severely injured in the massive gas explosion that rocked a depot on the main Sekondi-Takoradi Road on Tuesday.

The explosion was believed to have occurred at the Ghana Household Utility Company (GHUMCO), an aluminium manufacturing company, popularly called ‘Chinese,’ off the main Sekondi-Takoradi road.

The company was said to have been discharging Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) into a tanker when the explosion occurred.

Eyewitnesses indicated that they heard a loud bang and saw flames billowing into the sky. A gas tanker split into two, flipped over and landed on a wetland close by.

About six personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), who initially went to the scene to help douse the raging inferno, were injured together with other pedestrians and passengers most of who were workers on their way to work when a second explosion occurred.