TOR ASSURES OF FUEL SUPPLY, DAILY GRAPHIC, THUR JAN 21, 10 (FRONT B)

THE management of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has given the assurance that in spite of the fire outbreak which occurred at the Loading Gantry of the refinery, fuel supply will not be interrupted.
The managing Director, Dr Kwame Ampofo gave the assurance when the two deputy ministers of energy Mr Emmanuel Kofi Buah and Dr Kwabena Donkor paid a visit to the refinery.
He ahs therefore advised the public against panic buying.
The two deputy ministers were at the refinery to confer with management and asses the extent of damage caused by the fire outbreak.
Dr Ampofo explained that fuel supply to the depots was done through direct pumping which did not need the tankers before being delivered.
Interacting with journalists, Mr Buah commended personnel of the emergency support services for promptly responding to calls that salvage the situation last Tuesday.
He noted that looking at the strategic importance of TOR; government would pursue measures to prevent the recurrence of such an incident in future.
He said government was saddened by the fire and express condolences to the families of the deceased workers.
Dr Donkor appealed to the media to assist in assuring the nation of continuous supply of fuel thorough the various storage depots across the country.
Earlier in the day, officials of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) led by its board Chairman, Mr Kojo Fynn, had also visited the fire scene.
They expressed satisfaction with the measures put in place by TOR’s management to ensure safety while investigations continued.
Meanwhile the death toll from the outbreak has risen to two. That followed the death of another worker, Humphrey Ahiekpor, 57, at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital yesterday.
Ahiekpor was transferred to the Burns and Plastic Surgery Unit of Korle Bu from the Tema General Hospital where he was undergoing treatment for severe burns he sustained.
The incident initially claimed the life of Thomas Ebow Friar, 60 and injured two others.
A deputy Minister of Energy, Dr Kwabena Donkor confirmed the death of the second person.
The family of Ebow Friar was in a state of mourning when the Daily Graphic visited his residence at Tema community 7 yeateday.
Speaking in an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mrs Elizabeth Ogoe Friar said her husband left home on that faithful day in good health and there was no indication he would never return.
She said, her daughter had called her to inform her of a fire outbreak at the refinery where her father worked.
Mrs Friar said, all attempts to reach him proved futile and therefore she called other people including his son-in-law who also works at the refinery to find out if Ebow was safe.
‘It was not until in the evening when her husband did not return home that information reached their residence of his death, she remarked.