PHOTO: Nungua zongo gas explosion kills 1; five others injured

• Posted on July 19, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Six family members at Nungua zongo, a suburb of Accra have sustained multiple degrees of injuries with one reported dead in a gas explosion Wednesday.

Reports revealed that the family attempted to use a faulty gas cylinder, which had just been fixed by a repairer.

The deceased, according to a Senior Resident at the Korle Bu Reconstruction, Plastic Surgery and Burns Unit, Dr. Nyigba Edem suffered a 100 per cent total body surface area burn, which means every part of the skin was badly affected.

He explained to Joy News the remaining five were receiving medical treatment and in stable conditions.

Joy News’ Beatrice Adu, who visited the victims at the infirmary, said she saw three of the patients including the repairer of the cylinder, a 55-year-old mother of the other victims and a one-year-old baby girl.

Ms. Adu reported that the 55-year-old had her face and legs bandaged. The little girl also had her whole body covered.

The repairer, she added also had his whole body covered in bandage. He could not lift a bottle of water to drink and was assisted by a family member.

Dr. Edem further noted that some of the victims suffered inhalational injuries. He clarified that an inhalational injury could occur when a fire victim inhales heat in an enclosed area.

Such instance, he noted compounded the percentage of burns on that particular victim. The 55-year-old old woman, he cited, had a 25 per cent-burn on her face.

One of them, who happens to be a lady, also suffered about 50 per cent burns with inhalational injury.

Due to the excruciating pains, the victims lost a lot of fluid in their system and Dr. Edem said more was needed to resuscitate them.

He, however, indicated that dressing the wounds would be quite expensive. According to him, a 25 per cent burn may need four-five tubes of topical antibiotic ointment per dressing.

Surgery, he added would be carried out when needed.

Meanwhile, the surviving victims complained they could not afford the cost of treatment and called on the general public to come to their aid.

They need an estimated amount of GH?750 to GH?1,500 per week towards treating their wounds.

By: Nathaniel Yankson