18 Injured In Gas Explosion

Eighteen people have sustained serious injuries following a gas explosion in Ashaiman, Monday afternoon. The explosion is said to have taken place at a popular food joint in the locality known as "Boys Boys" just opposite a fire station. The Tema Regional Operatives Fire Officer,Mr Mark Quarcoo told Peace Fm's Kwami Sefa-Kayi on the "kokrokoo" programme that all victims were within the range of the food joint. Tema Municipal Chief Executive Mr Adi Nortey Addison said the victims are in a "very bad state." "When I went to the hospital I was very sad. We counted 18 of them and all of them got burnt," he narrated. They have been rushed to the Tema General Hospital for treatment, he confirmed. According to Mr Mark Quarcoo the explosion was from a gas cylinder at a food joint and was followed by the blazing fire. "It came from a food joint," he said, adding, "I think one of the cylinders had a fault and instead of repairing it, they didn't repair it and so it exploded just like that." He added that the explosion was as a result of the expiring of the imported gas cylinders which was being used by the food joint operators. He advised that measures should be taken to ban the importation of cheap and inferior gas cylinders into the country.