Eleven years ago today, disaster struck the heart of Accra in a deadly combination of flood and fire that killed 154 people and left the country in shock.
On the night of June 3, 2015, as torrential rains pounded the capital, an explosion at the GOIL filling station near Kwame Nkrumah Circle turned an already dire flood emergency into a national tragedy.
Hundreds of individuals, caught in the downpour and rising floodwaters, had sought shelter at the fuel station.
But as water levels surged, fuel leaked from the station and floated across the surface. In a flash, a spark triggered a massive explosion, engulfing the area in flames.
The aftermath was grim as bodies were scattered across the streets, and some were found days later in open drains.
Emergency responders faced a harrowing task as they worked for weeks to clear the devastation. The government declared three days of national mourning.
In the wake of the tragedy, a government-appointed committee launched an investigation into what caused the fire and how similar disasters could be avoided.
Their report outlined a chain of events that led to the explosion.
The total value of property loss was estimated at GHS 1.65 million.
By Timothy Antwi-Otoo
