Two people died from an explosion due to a spillage of premixed fuel at Ngyiresia Landing Beach, Sekondi, on Saturday, May 18, 2024, and 14 people were injured, with five still in critical condition.
The victims, 15-year-old Joseph Adom and 7-year-old Justice Dadzie, succumbed to their injuries at Effia-Nkwanta Hospital in Sekondi.
The remaining injured individuals are receiving treatment at Effia-Nkwanta and Saint Benedict Hospital in Inchaban.
Two of the severely injured victims are being transferred to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for further care.
The harrowing event transpired on Saturday evening when a group of fishermen was in the process of transporting premix fuel to the beach for their fishing activities.
According to the Public Relations Unit of the National Fire Service in the Western Region, the fire was reported which led to the dispatch of two fire appliances from Sekondi Metro and Shama Fire Stations to the scene.

The blaze, according to the Fire Service, was ignited by a naked flame, damaging four (4) wooden structures, a fish smoking area, an electric pole, two (2) cars, and an ECG service line, and was extinguished about 40 minutes later.
The statement said the 14 injured, including 10 males and 4 females, were hospitalized before the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) arrived.
Unfortunately, 2 of the critically injured at the hospital passed on.
The statement added that a preliminary investigation revealed the fire started when fisherfolk offloading fuel drums from a taxi caused a spill. The vapours from the spilled premix fuel caught fire from a nearby fish-smoking area and flashed back injuring people and damaging properties. Residents’ initial efforts to control the fire with sand and seawater were unsuccessful, but the GNFS’s timely intervention prevented further devastation.
Later, the NPP parliamentary candidate for Essikado Ketan Richard Bissue, accompanied by the Regional and Metro Directors of the National Disaster Management Authority, and the Chief and Elders of Ngyiresia, visited victims of the fire accident that occurred yesterday at the landing site.
He said, in consultation with the MP for Essikado-Ketan, Joe Ghartey and the Mayor for Sekondi-Takoradi, Abdul Mumim Issah, some funds have been mobilised to support the medical needs of the affected persons.

The families have also been assured of support while investigations are concluded into the accident.