An explosion at Joyea Construction at Spintex along the Accra-Tema motorway on Friday afternoon has resulted in two reported deaths, with five others currently receiving treatment at a hospital.
DOIII Ebenezer Yenzu, the Tema Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), confirmed the incident to Joy News. The Fire Service received a call about the incident around 2:20 pm.
“We received a distress call over a blast at Joyea Construction and had to respond immediately. We then dispatched the personnel at the fire station around Kasapreko to the scene.”
“Joyea is into construction works, roofing sheets, trusses and other things. We have gathered that one of the oxyacetylene gas tanks used as part of metal fabrication ruptured. Oxyacetylene is obtained by combining acetylene gas and oxygen, and it is used for welding and cutting of metal,” he shared.
DOIII Ebenezer Yenzu also stated that no fire was generated in the explosion. However, he mentioned that the fire team would investigate to determine the exact cause of the explosion, as several factors could have contributed to it.
“A number of possibilities could lead to the oxyacetylene tank rupturing. It could be due to leakage from the tank, the nozzle, whether the concentration level was too high, positioning of the tank, exposure to heat and other factors. Our investigations will look at all these,” DOIII Yenzu noted.
DOIII Ebenezer Yenzu emphasized that determining the exact cause of the explosion is crucial to preventing a recurrence in the future.
He stated that the Fire Service’s primary objective at the scene is to ensure all hazards are under control.
Regarding information from Joyea Construction’s management, he mentioned that they would engage with management and workers once the area is deemed safe enough.
In addition to ensuring safety after the explosion, the Fire Service is closely monitoring the condition of the five injured individuals.
DOIII Ebenezer Yenzu advised companies dealing with industrial materials of such nature to continuously monitor their location for safety purposes.
“You need to always check the temperature. Despite the accident happening in an open space, the proximity could be an issue. When dealing with welding equipment ensure they are a distance from where you’re doing your hot works”.
“Periodically check your hoses, the gauge, and nozzle if there are any leakages and anything that matters to ensure safety for all,” he cautioned.