There are two confirmed deaths after Friday afternoon’s explosion at Joyea Construction at Spintex along the Accra-Tema road, and five more people are being treated at a hospital.
The incident was verified to Joy News by DOIII Ebenezer Yenzu, the Ghana National Fire Service’s (GNFS) Tema Regional Public Relations Officer.
At approximately 2:20 pm, the Fire Service received a call regarding the incident. “We had to react right away after receiving a distress call regarding a blast at Joyea Construction.
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The staff at the fire station in the Kasapreko area was immediately sent to the spot. Joyea enjoys building projects and is interested in trusses, roofing sheets and other things.
We have learned that a rupture occurred in one of the oxyacetylene gas tanks used in the metal manufacturing process.
Oxyacetylene is produced by mixing oxygen with acetylene gas, and it’s utilised in metal cutting and welding,” he explained. Additionally, DOIII Ebenezer Yenzu said that the blast did not cause any fire. He did, however, add that there were a number of potential causes for the explosion, so the fire department would look into it to find out for sure.
The oxyacetylene tank could burst for a variety of reasons. It can be the result of a leak from the tank, the nozzle, an excessive concentration level, improper tank placement, heat exposure, and other issues. All of these will be examined in our investigations,” DOIII Yenzu stated.
In order to stop a repeat of the incident in the future, DOIII Ebenezer Yenzu stressed how important it is to identify the precise cause of the explosion. He said that making ensuring all risks are under control is the Fire Service’s main goal at the scene.
According to information provided by Joyea Construction’s management, they will communicate with both management and employees as soon as the location is judged sufficiently safe.
Apart from guaranteeing security following the detonation, the Fire Service is attentively observing the health of the five injured parties. Companies handling such industrial products were instructed by DOIII Ebenezer Yenzu to keep a close eye on their placement for safety reasons.
“You must constantly take the temperature. Even though the incident occurred in an open area, the close closeness can be problematic. Make sure the welding equipment is away from the area where you are performing hot work when handling it.
“To protect everyone’s safety, check your hoses, the gauge, and the nozzle on a regular basis for leaks and other issues,” he advised.
