Man dies from gas explosion

Two of the victims of last Monday's Ashaiman gas explosion at the Tema General Hospital (TGH) (left), Mr. Omane, anotrher of the Ashaiman gas explosion incident on admission at the Tema General Hospital (TGH)(right)

A 35-year-old transporter, Baba Saakah, a victim in last Monday's gas explosion at a fast food joint in Ashaiman, has been pronounced dead shortly after he was transferred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

The deceased, according to the spokesperson of the bereaved family, Baba Alhassan, was nursing a two-week injury he sustained in a fatal car accident, and further said the deceased was on his way to the hospital when he was caught in the gas explosion.

Speaking to a government delegation led by Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, at the deceased's residence at Zeenu, near Ashaiman, Baba Alhassan said the news of the death of the deceased was received with much shock, 'because Baba told us he was going to the hospital to nurse his injury.'

He nonetheless, said the family was consoled by the presence of the Deputy Minister and his entourage, who had taken time off their tight schedule to visit and empathise with them.

Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, on his part, said President Mills expressed shock at the news and wished the family well in their trying moments, particularly, when they had lost the family's breadwinner.

The Deputy Minister, on behalf of the government, donated an undisclosed amount of money to the wife of the deceased.

Earlier, Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, together with the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashaiman, Mr. Alfred Agbesi, Mr. Kempes Ofosuware and Mr. Numo Addinortey Addison, Tema and Ashaiman Mayors respectively, visited the Intensive Unit Care of the Tema General Hospital (TGH), where 11 other victims of the incident had been admitted.

According to the Specialist Surgeon of the facility, Doctor Francis Caiquo, five patients whose condition needed more serious attention, were last Monday transferred to the 37 Military Hospital.

The rest of the victims on admission at the TGH were in stable condition, 'except that the unit is handicapped with some major health equipment such as beds, bandages and dressing equipment among others.'

He further mentioned that the unit was not well ventilated and under staffed, saying, 'I would like to mention these to you, so that the government would immediately direct its attention to the facility.'

Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, on his part, assured the surgeon of the government's support to equip the facility, adding that the government was going to bear the medical cost of the patients.

He consoled the victims and wished them speedy recovery, so that they could go back and continue with their work.

Family members and friends of the victims, who thronged the facility to give a helping hand to the injured, could not but shed uncontrollable tears when the Deputy Minister later moved to the beds of the injured in to shake hands with them, but the injured could not lift any of their limbs.