- Premix fuel explosion at Ngyiresia kills six, including three who died from injuries.
- Victims include 14-year-old Daniela Cornelius, who died due to lack of funds for surgery.
- Two more victims await transfer to a bigger hospital, but funds are lacking.
- Community calls for improved safety measures after tragic incident.
A devastating premix fuel explosion at Ngyiresia in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis has claimed six lives, with three more victims succumbing to their injuries. The tragic incident occurred on May 18, 2024, and has left the community in mourning.
Daniela Cornelius, a 14-year-old victim, died at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in the early hours of Wednesday, June 5, 2024. She had been receiving treatment for severe burns and injuries sustained in the explosion.
Nurideen Morrison, 24, and Kojo Egyir, 55, also died on Sunday, June 2, 2024, at separate locations. Morrison passed away at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, while Egyir died at a herbal medicine center in Moree, Central Region.
Assembly member Gabriel Mensah confirmed that Daniela’s death was due to the exhaustion of donations for her surgery. “We had a call this morning that she also could not make it. They needed money for her surgery, but we could not help because all donations made have been exhausted,” Mensah said.
Two more victims are currently at Effia Nkwanta Hospital, awaiting transfer to a bigger facility for further treatment. However, funds are lacking to facilitate their transfer.
Chief of Ngyiresia, Nana Doko Agyemang III, revealed that Kojo Egyir was relocated to a herbal medicine center at Moree in the Central Region after he opted to be discharged from the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital with assistance from family members. Unfortunately, he could not survive the pain and died a few days later.
Nuredeen Morison was transferred from St. Benedict Hospital to a bigger facility but died due to lack of space. “His father had to transfer him from St. Benedict Hospital, but all the bigger facilities were full, so we could not have a place to admit him,” Mensah explained.
The fishermen at Ngyiresia have been transporting premix fuel barrels by rolling them through a footpath, a risky practice that has been ongoing due to the lack of a motorable route. This mode of transportation has been the norm for some time, despite the danger posed by naked fires in the densely populated fishmonger community.
The explosion occurred when a consignment of premix fuel, bought from elsewhere due to scarcity at Ngyiresia, was being transported to the beach. The fuel was purchased from a different location due to the unavailability of the product at the Ngyiresia Community Premix Fuel Pump, which is just a minute’s walk from the scene of the explosion.
This tragic incident is reminiscent of a previous explosion at a quarry site at Anto-Aboso in the Shama district, which claimed four lives and left several others injured. The community is calling for improved safety measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
