Fire at gas station destroys items

Sunyani, May 27, GNA - The Brong-Ahafo Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has directed the Regional Fire Service office to continue with the education of the public especially dealers in gas products. The council took the decision after a meeting to deliberate on the security implications of a fire outbreak that gutted the Louis Gas filling Station near the State Transport Corporation yard in Sunyani on Tuesday. The fire followed a huge explosion at the station that injured six people with one of them, Abdul Baba, sustaining serious burns and referred to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi.

Some of the injured people, including two fire service personnel, were treated and discharged at the regional hospital in Sunyani. A statement issued at the end of a tour of the site of the disaster by the REGSEC said "such disasters could be minimized or even avoided with animation and education of the general public and in particular dealers in gas products".

It expressed satisfaction at the "commendable work done by the fire service division when they undertook and exercise to sensitize gas filling station managers on fire management a few weeks ago". The statement appealed to the public to contact the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the environmental impact assessment whenever they want to establish a gas filling station. Investigations by the GNA showed that the fire started at about 1830 hours and when the fire service personnel arrived at they realized that the fire was "large" so called for support from the Berekum Fire Division. The fire was finally brought under control by 1920 hours with the police and military personnel assisting in controlling the crowd. The explosion shattered louver blades of the offices of the Electoral Commission and the State Transport Company. The blast also affected the machines of nearby American Printing Press while a -drinking bar was destroyed.