2 Months After June 3 Disaster: Dead Body Found In Debris

Two months after the June 3rd twin disaster—fire and flood—which incidents brought a lot of anguish to inhabitants of Accra, some residents along the Odaw river yesterday found a dead body in the debris of that disaster.

The body which had decomposed beyond recognition has been sent to the police hospital morgue.

The June 3 tragic event which took place at the Kwame Circle is arguably the biggest disaster in the recent history of Ghana, claiming over a hundred and fifty (150) lives.

According to residents, a scrap dealer who went into the Asare Bediako Pharmacy near the Goil Filling station which was gutted in the inferno in search of metal scraps found the decomposed body trapped under a pile of debris.

The building had been barricaded but the scrap dealer sneaked inside.

Shocked by what he saw, the scrap dealer screamed for help drawing residents and passersby to the scene.

The police were quickly called in. When Today news team got to the scene there was no sign of any official(s) or even the police team who had already been informed about the matter.

The officials and the police team later arrived but realised they needed equipment to break into the building to be able to retrieve the body.

Once the team and the equipment arrived, they entered the building and after several hours emerged with the body suspected to be that of a male victim in an advanced stage of decomposition.

Speaking to Today, a resident who only identified herself as Sister, said following the disaster residents in the area now live in constant fear, especially at night.

She said the residents were worried about the health implications of living in that area.

But the Director of Public Health, AMA, Dr. Simpson Anim Boateng, allayed the fears of the residents saying the whole of the fire disaster and adjoining areas were fumigated to rid the area of any infections.

Speaking to the media, the Nima District Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Nuhu Django, said one body was recovered and not two as they were previously informed.

He was sure there were no more bodies trapped in the former pharmacy building.

“We have been thorough. Anything can happen, more bodies can be found or it could be the last but as far as I am concerned, we have been thorough with the search except that there is a margin of error which we admit because it exists in every human endeavour,” he stated.

Meanwhile residents along the Odaw River have called on the authorities to give a face-lift to the areas affected by the disaster.

According to them, the buildings which were gutted now pose a threat to residents.

They, therefore, want some renovation works to be carried on them.