(아프리카) 가나 수도 아크라에서 주유소 화재로 최소한 150명 사망

출처: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-33003673

5 hours ago

Ghana petrol station inferno kills at least 150 in Accra 가나 수도 아크라에서 주유소 화재로 최소 150명 사망

Sammy Darko reports from the petrol station

At least 150 people have died in a fire at a petrol station in Ghana's capital, Accra, the country's president says. 가나 수도 아크라의 주유소 화재로 최소 150명 사망

The fire on Wednesday night started as people in the city were trying to cope with two days of heavy rain, which has left many homeless and without power. 화재는 지난 수요일 밤 시작, 이틀간의 폭우로 사투를 벌이고 있을 때 화재 발생, 이 폭우로 가옥이 침수되고 단전이 되었다.

The flooding hampered rescue efforts and may have led to the fire, the BBC's Sammy Darko reports from Accra. 폭우는 구조활동을 지연시켰다.

President John Dramani Mahama has announced three days of national mourning to begin on Monday. 대통령은 3일간의 국가조문기간 선포.

It is thought that people were in the petrol station sheltering from the downpours when the fire broke out, our correspondent says.

President Mahama visited the burnt-out petrol station and described the deaths as "catastrophic" and "almost unprecedented".

He vowed to take tough measures to stop people building on waterways, which appeared to have been a factor in the disaster.

"I think that the time has come for us to remove houses out of water and the public should understand that it is necessary to save everybody else," he said. 차후로 물길에 있는 가옥은 철거할 것이며 이는 모두에게 필요한 조치임을 알아주기 바란다.

Following an emergency meeting of cabinet and security chiefs on how to tackle flooding, the government says it will release £9m ($14m) to help flood victims. 각료들과 재난담당자들과 홍수에 대한 비상회의를 진행하고, 정부는 홍수피해자를 위해 1,400만 달러를 지원하기로 했다.

Schools were closed across the capital and children asked to stay at home. 피해지역 학교들은 폐쇄되고 아동들은 집에 머물도록 했다.

The fire broke out on Wednesday night

Survivor Yaw Aforve said he was sleeping in his car at the petrol station when he heard the fire

Bus conductor Yaw Aforve was sleeping in his vehicle which was parked at the petrol station when the fire started.

He said he jumped into the floodwaters and when he came up for air, the fire burnt his face.

"I was swept away by the water to the other side [of the road]," he added. "I saw so many people screaming and shouting."

The fire services say flooding contributed to the fire

The petrol station was totally destroyed by the fire

The flooding helped cause the fire, the Ghana fire service said.

The waters "caused the diesel and petrol to flow away from the gas station, and fire from a nearby house led to the explosion", spokesman Billy Anaglate said, the Associated Press news agency reports.

One of those who died in the blaze was a child

The child's mother was consoled by bystanders

On the scene - Sammy Darko, BBC Africa, 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.

Cars have been washed away and roads have been blocked by the flooding

Many homes have been flooded 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.

Weather forecasters are saying that more rain is on its way.