News for Arab Countries Special service by AGI on behalf of the Italian Prime Minister's office
GHANA: TEMA PORT FIRE MAY HIT REFINERY, 3 DIED (AGI/REUTERS) - Accra, March 25 - A fire broke out at the port of Tema, Ghana's major. At least three people died, official sources reported. The fire, which extended to at least one ship, are now threatening an oil refinery. Ben Awusu-Mensah, chief of Ghana's Port Authority, said some 80 firemen are attempting to put out the fire, which broke out this morning at 9am. "The situation is extremely critical", he said, "they're trying to harness the flames, but there are fears they might catch the refinery". According to another source in the government, rescue operations began late and inadequately. The ship which caught fire, flying the Russian flag and with a crew made up by Russian, Greek, Guinean and Ghanaian nationals, was anchored at a pier for maintenance operations. No news still about whether the burnt bodies shown by TV belonged to crew members or shipyard workers. All of Ghana's exports of goods pass through the Tema port, not far from the country's capital of Accra. They include coffee, cocoa (of which it is the world's second producer) and cotton. Tema is also home to an oil refinery, with a 45,000 barrel a day output capacity, mostly for domestic use. Despite lacking adequate infrastructures, the port saw an increase in traffic of as traffic once destined to the Abidjan port, in neighboring and politically instable Ivory Coast, was relocated to Ghana. (AGI) -
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A fire which broke out onboard a Greek oil tanker in the port of Tema, Ghana at 9am Friday (local time), now threatens an oil refinery. The chief of Ghana's Port Authority, Ben Awusu-Mensah, said 80 firemen are currently fighting the blaze. "The situation is extremely critical" he said, "they're trying to harness the flames, but there are fears they might catch the refinery".

At least three people have died. Authorities believe the toll will rise to eleven. "We've brought out two more bodies today and we've seen between six and nine more but it is very dark and hot in there," said one firefighter.