Ten years ago today, tragedy struck the heart of Ghana’s capital in a devastating mix of flood and fire that claimed 154 lives and injured as many more. On the night of June 3, 2015, what began as torrential rains turned catastrophic when an explosion at a GOIL filling station near Kwame Nkrumah Circle ignited a national tragedy.
Heavy rains had submerged large parts of Accra, with hundreds seeking shelter wherever they could, including the busy fuel station. But as the floodwaters rose, fuel leaked and spread across the surface of the water. Then came the spark.
According to a government report released after the incident, a lit cigarette, allegedly dropped by a man named Seth Kwesi Ofosu, ignited the fuel-soaked water, causing a massive explosion that engulfed the area in flames. In seconds, lives were lost and a city was left in shock.
Images from that night remain seared in the memories of many Ghanaians: charred cars, streets strewn with bodies, and grieving families searching hospitals and morgues. Some victims were found days later in open drains, a grim reminder of the scale of the disaster.
Emergency crews worked tirelessly through the chaos, navigating flooded streets and fire-ravaged buildings. The government declared three days of national mourning. Candlelight vigils were held across the country, and churches opened their doors for communal prayer.
An investigative committee was set up to determine the causes and recommend preventative measures. Their findings pointed to a chain of failures, overwhelmed drainage systems, poor waste management, and a city struggling under the weight of unregulated urban growth.
“The flooding of Kwame Nkrumah was the remote cause,” the report stated. “The intermediate cause was the overflow of fuel, and the immediate cause was the fire sparked by a cigarette.”
The blast damaged five structures and caused property losses estimated at GHS 1.65 million.
In response, the committee proposed sweeping reforms, dredging the Odaw River, improving drainage networks, and even creating a sanitation police force to enforce waste disposal regulations. Yet, a decade later, many of these recommendations remain only partially fulfilled.
Some dredging projects have been undertaken, and public education on waste disposal has improved, but critics argue the city still faces the same vulnerabilities. Uncollected rubbish clogs drains during the rainy season. Informal settlements continue to sprawl in flood-prone zones. For many residents, little has changed.
As the country marks this somber anniversary, survivors and families of victims are calling not only for remembrance but for action.
“It should not take another disaster to fix what we already know is broken,” said Adwoa Mensah, who lost her brother in the explosion. “Every rainy season feels like holding our breath.”
