Petrol tanker bursts into flames

Kudje (V/R), Oct 28, GNA- Two persons including a school girl received burns while 27 others were rendered homeless on Friday, when a petrol tanker skidded off the road and burst into flames at Kudje in the Jasikan District of the Volta Region.

The victims, Joseph Dente, 34, a farmer and Cynthia Konteh, 8, a class six pupil of the local primary school had burns on their feet and hands and were taken to the Jasikan District Hospital where they were treated and discharged.

Twenty-seven persons residing in three houses, which got burnt during the fire outbreak, are living with their relatives. The fire destroyed property estimated at 90 million cedis.

Mr Edwin Osei, Assembly Member of Kudje Electoral area who briefed Mr Solomon Kwame Donkor, Jasikan District Chief Executive (DCE) who visited the scene, said a petrol tanker that was carrying 3,000 gallons of petrol worth about 60 million cedis from Worawora on its way to Jasikan skidded off the road after bursting a tyre.

Mr Osei said it took a combined team of Fire Service personnel from Kadjebi and Jasikan 30 minutes to put the fire under control. The DCE expressed his sympathy to the victims and urged the district National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) secretariat to help settle the displaced persons.

Mr Felix Nyamesem, driver of the tanker, said he collected the fuel from Tema but decided to use the Kpando-Worawora-Jasikan road when he got to Have because of the poor nature of the Have-Hohoe-Jasikan road.