An explosion at a petrol station in Ghana's capital Accra killed about 90 people, many of whom had sought shelter there from torrential rain, on Wednesday night, the fire brigade said.
The
blast was caused by a fire that erupted at a nearby lorry terminal then
spread to the petrol station and other buildings, fire brigade
spokesman Prince Billy Anaglate said.
It ripped through the filling station, operated by GOIL , shattering windows and walls and reducing the station to rubble.
"It was an explosive fire and so the people sheltering at the filling station did not have an opportunity to escape," Anaglate said.
Firefighters
battled the blaze into the early hours while police and soldiers joined
emergency crews helping rescue people trapped in the wreckage, Accra
Mayor Oko Vanderpuije said.
Charred
corpses and wreckage of about a dozen cars and mini buses littered the
forecourt of the station, where security forces kept an anxious crowd
behind a police cordon.
A Reuters reporter at the scene saw some charred bodies in cars where they had sought refuge.
Team
of rescuers wearing face masks and gloves went in to the filling
station with stretchers to remove the remaining bodies, all of which
were unrecognisable.
Initial signs suggested the fire started by accident, Anaglate said.
Floods from several hours of heavy downpour submerged buildings and vehicles across Accra on Wednesday.
President John Mahama, who visited the area, said he was heartbroken by the heavy loss of lives and damage.
He
blamed the floods partly on people building homes and businesses on
waterways, blocking the city's drainage systems. Ghana's meteorological
service there could be more rains on Thursday.
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