Two individuals have tragically lost their lives, while five others are currently under medical care following an explosion at Joyea Construction situated at Spintex along the Accra-Tema motorway on Friday afternoon.
The Tema Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, DOIII Ebenezer Yenzu, confirmed this distressing incident to Joy News.
“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.
“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 Yenzu explained that Joyea Construction is involved in various construction activities, including roofing sheets and trusses, and that the explosion resulted from the rupture of an oxyacetylene gas tank used in metal fabrication.
While no fire erupted from the explosion, the Fire Service aims to determine the exact cause, considering multiple potential factors such as tank leakage, concentration levels, positioning, and exposure to heat.
Identifying the root cause, according to DOIII Yenzu, is crucial for preventing future incidents.
The Fire Service’s primary focus at the site is to mitigate all hazards, and they plan to engage with Joyea Construction management and workers once the area is deemed safe.
In addition to ensuring safety post-explosion, the Fire Service is closely monitoring the condition of the five injured individuals.
DOIII Ebenezer Yenzu also provided advice for companies handling industrial materials, urging them to regularly monitor temperature, check equipment for leakages, and maintain proper safety protocols to prevent accidents.