Petroleum and gas explosion burns top cases at Korle-Bu

The Director of the National Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Ampomah Opokuware says about 40% of burns cases that the centre admits are caused by petroleum and gas explosions.

According to him, 45% of death recorded in the centre are people who got burnt in petroleum and gas related explosions.

Dr. Opokuware made this statement when Ghana Institution of Surveyors donated Shower Trolley and accessories worth GHC35,000 to the Korle-Bu burns ward.

“For the past decade we have seen a steady increase in the number of burns related to petroleum and gas explosions – we recorded 10% in 2006, but from 2010 to 2012 the cases have reached about 35 – 40% and the severity of this burns accounts for 45% of the deaths,” he said.

In the last three years Ghana has recorded eight gas explosions with the most recent being the Atomic Junction one, which claimed 7 lives and got scores injured.

Dr. Opokuware said most of the deaths are preventable and therefore asked for intensive education for the general public, beginning from schools, fuel station workers, and users of gas cylinders.

He recommends that there should be a safe distance between residential areas and fuel stations, and such stations should also not be located in close proximity to each other.

“We have a regime where the health and safety culture is non-existence and this accounts for this preventable deaths – a lot of this gas and petroleum stations are disasters waiting to happen, so there is need for stricter enforcement of regulations,” he said.

President of Ghana Institution of Surveyors, Edwin Addo-Tawiah said the presentation is part of their social responsibilities, adding that they are happy it has brought relief to the burns unit.

Currently the centre has only one functioning Shower Trolley, hence patients have been to queuing to have their shower.

“We are glad to bring a bit more relief to the nurses in this centre with this equipment as there is only one in Korle-Bu. We pledge to do more in the coming years,” he said.