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A gas station in Ghana’s capital, Accra, has blown up, sending a giant fireball high into the night sky and forcing frightened residents to flee, according to police and witnesses.
The explosion at around 730pm local time (19:30 GMT) on Saturday began at a state-owned GOIL liquefied natural gas station in northeast Accra.
It then spread to a Total petrol station across the street in the Atomic Junction roundabout area of Legon, a witness told Reuters news agency.
Video:
Atomic Total filling station explosion in shot. Please avoid that stretch of the road if possible. Thank you.#MylesAlerts! http://pic.twitter.com/MdbQ2yztU8
— Kweku Myles (@MylesRepGH) October 7, 2017
“I am in Legon and I heard two explosions,” Efia Tenge, police spokeswoman, told AFP news agency. “My whole building was shaking.”
Residents ran from the explosion, which lit up the sky with flames, and at least six fire trucks and several ambulances were deployed to the area.
There was no immediate information about casualties, but local media reported that a number of cars had been burned out as fires spread.
Images posted on social media purported to show a giant fireball high into the sky above the city, with residents warning of a “huge explosion” and “raging fire”.
Another explosion. Same place. Atomic Junction. PLEASE STAY AWAY. I felt the heat from 3 Kilometers away. It’s crazy!!!! http://pic.twitter.com/8ZueUKGFb4
— Mr. Reagan (@ronnieamofa) October 7, 2017
We’ve evacuated our houses!!! Everyone has. Huge explosion and raging fire. Unbelievable. Madina.
— M.anifest (@manifestive) October 7, 2017
The Accra city authorities warned people to avoid the area, which is also home to the University of Ghana campus.
Kobby Boateng, a computer programmer, said he had returned to the university campus with his girlfriend when the blast happened.
“All of a sudden, we heard a ‘boom’ and the flash of an explosion, which made the building just shake and the lights went out,” he told AFP.
“People were rushing out of their rooms. Some of them were naked and the heat that was coming from that blast, my God, it was unbearable.”
Don’t pass through atomic Junction, Legon Ghana. There’s a gas explosion happening right now. Tell a friend.
— Chris Dare🔥 (@Dexios1) October 7, 2017
Explosion is huuuge. shook my house. Pray for the people who were around those fuel stations.
— Daixy🔥🔥🔥 (@D41XY) October 7, 2017
In June 2015, a blast at a petrol station near a busy downtown Accra intersection killed at least 90 people who were sheltering there from heavy rain and flooding.
A small unit on a tower building at Ghana’s parliament also caught fire in July, although the blaze did not cause major damage.
Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies
