It was meant to be a day of remembrance. Instead, June 3, 2026 became a day of dread deja vu.
Eleven years after the June 3, 2015 fire and flood disaster that killed over 150 people at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle fuel station, Accra woke up to scenes many had vowed would never happen again.
This time, it wasn’t just flood and fire. It was a triple disaster.
A mantra turned cliché
“Never Again.” That was the theme that followed the 2015 tragedy, when choked drains met a downpour and a stray cigarette ignited fuel at the GOIL station.
The floodwaters trapped people seeking refuge from the rain. The fire took their lives. Millions of cedis in property were destroyed. Families were torn apart.
In the aftermath, a government-commissioned report blamed poor drainage, weak enforcement of building codes, and indiscriminate waste disposal. Promises were made. Drainage works were announced. “Never Again” became the mantra at every first, third, fifth anniversary commemoration.
But 11 years on, a light drop of rain still paralyzes parts of Accra. Drains remain choked. Buildings still go up without proper permits.
2026: Flood. Fire. Collapse.
Today’s events unfolded like a cruel echo of 2015, only worse:
- Flood: Hours of rain submerged low-lying areas. NADMO teams were deployed to rescue residents and move victims to safety, just as they did 11 years ago.
- Fire: A fire broke out at Accra’s Central Business District, sending thick smoke over the capital as firefighters battled to contain it.
- Building collapse: While disaster managers and rescuers tried to douse the CBD fire, another team rushed to a collapsed building where many are feared trapped and dead. The coincidence was too painful to ignore. The same agencies, the same scenes, the same questions.
Has any lesson been learned?
For years, “Never Again” has drifted from rallying cry to cliché. Reports gathered dust. Demolition exercises made headlines, then stopped. Drains were desilted before rainy seasons, only to clog again with plastic and silt.
Urban planners have warned for years that Accra’s rapid, unplanned growth and poor waste management were a disaster waiting to happen. Today, that warning came true – three times over.
As rescue operations continue tonight, one question hangs over the capital: If 11 years, a government report, and over 150 lost lives could not make us change, what will?
For the families mourning tonight, “Never Again” feels like the cruelest lie. Until drastic action replaces slogans, Accra may be forced to say it again next June 3.
