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Ghana petrol station inferno kills 90 in Accra | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
More than 90 people have died in a fire at a petrol station in Ghana's capital, Accra, the fire service says. | |
The fire started as people in the city are trying to cope with two days of heavy rain, which has left many homeless and without power. | The fire started as people in the city are trying to cope with two days of heavy rain, which has left many homeless and without power. |
The flooding hampered the rescue efforts, the BBC's Sammy Darko reports from Accra. | The flooding hampered the rescue efforts, the BBC's Sammy Darko reports from Accra. |
There are fears that the death toll could rise as the search for bodies continues. | |
It is thought that people were in the petrol station sheltering from the downpour when the fire began, our correspondent says. | |
President John Mahama has visited the burnt-out petrol station and has appealed for calm as the authorities try to cope with the aftermath of the fire and the flooding. | |
On the scene - Sammy Darko, BBC News, Accra | |
Two days of heavy rain has brought much of the city to its knees. | |
There are chaotic scenes with cars being carried away by the water and many roads blocked off. | |
Hundreds have been trapped in their offices and some have been forced to spend the night in their cars as traffic came to a standstill. | |
Parts of Accra have been left without power as electricity sub-stations have been damaged in the flooding, which is making the ongoing energy shortages even worse. | |
Many homes have been inundated and people have been wandering around in their nightclothes after being forced to leave their beds. | Many homes have been inundated and people have been wandering around in their nightclothes after being forced to leave their beds. |
One man told a local radio station that he had put his children on top of a wardrobe to save them from the water coming into his house. | One man told a local radio station that he had put his children on top of a wardrobe to save them from the water coming into his house. |
Weather forecasters are saying that more rain is on its way. | Weather forecasters are saying that more rain is on its way. |