By Juliet Mettle-Edmond
Seven suspects engaged in the sale of refurbished damaged cylinders have been arrested. They were rounded up during a joint operation by the Ghana National Fire Service in collaboration with officials of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and the Ghana Police Service. The suspects are operating without permit and certificate.
One hundred and ninety-five cylinders ranging from 5 kg to 14.5 kg were ceased in the operation. Other items retrieved in the operation were regulators, welding and spraying machines, transformers, face masks, cutting and grinding tools pants and other items.
The suspects who were arrested through the enhanced intelligence surveillance by the Intelligence Unit of the Fire Service were engaged in refurbishing damaged cylinders and re-introducing them onto the market.
According to D0 Michael Atto Korsan, Assistant Director of Fire Safety and Head of the GNFS Intelligence Unit, these damaged but refreshed LPG cylinders are one of the major causes of many domestic and commercial fires in the country.
D.O Korsah urged all consumers of LPG to be on the lookout for such cylinders. According to the National Fire Service, these refurbished cylinders could explode when filled with liquefied petroleum gas. The Service advised that old, rusted, and expired LPG cylinders be sent to registered gas supply outlets, distributors, or LPG recycling centres or plants to be professionally disposed of.
The GNFS said anyone with information about perpetrators of this act should call the hotlines 0302772446 or 0299341436.
