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Ten years ago today, a devastating combination of flood and fire shook the city of Accra and left the nation in mourning. On the night of June 3, 2015, as torrential rains battered the capital, a deadly explosion at the GOIL filling station near Kwame Nkrumah Circle turned a severe flooding situation into one of Ghana’s worst disasters in recent memory.
As floodwaters rose across the city, hundreds of people sought shelter under the canopy of the GOIL station, hoping to escape the relentless rain. Tragically, leaking fuel from the station mixed with the floodwaters. When a spark ignited the fuel-laced water, a massive explosion ripped through the area, setting off a deadly inferno.
The aftermath was horrifying. A total of 154 lives were lost, with bodies scattered across the streets and some found days later in open drains. Emergency services worked tirelessly for weeks, navigating debris and destruction to assist victims and restore order. The government declared three days of national mourning in honor of the victims.
In response, a government committee was formed to investigate the incident. Their findings revealed a series of events leading up to the explosion. According to the report, the flooding around the Kwame Nkrumah Circle was the underlying cause, while the overflow of fuel from the GOIL station served as the immediate trigger. The final spark came from an individual, Seth Kwesi Ofosu, who reportedly dropped a lit cigarette into the contaminated floodwaters.
Beyond the human toll, the explosion injured another 154 people and caused significant damage to five structures, including the filling station. The estimated value of destroyed property reached GHS 1.65 million.
The committee recommended several critical actions to prevent future disasters, including:
Comprehensive drainage works in flood-prone areas.
Regular dredging and desilting of the Odaw River and its tributaries.
The establishment of a sanitation police force to enforce environmental and waste disposal laws.
However, ten years on, concerns remain about the city’s preparedness for similar emergencies. Many citizens argue that core issues—such as poor urban planning, inadequate drainage systems, and indiscriminate waste disposal—still persist.
As Ghana marks the 10th anniversary of the June 3 tragedy, survivors, bereaved families, and civic groups are once again calling on authorities to take sustained action. For them, remembering the past must come with a firm commitment to preventing such a catastrophe from ever happening again.
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