Victims of Thursday's fire outbreak at the Sekondi Landing Beach in the Western Region are blaming their woes on the alleged hoarding of Premix fuel in shops close to where the fire is reported to have started.

According to them despite numerous complaints to authorities concerning the practice and the danger it posed, nothing was done about it.

The Sekondi-Takoradi metropolitan NADMO coordinator, James Obeng has confirmed to Joy News that 1 out of the 3 persons who sustained injuries during Thursday's fire outbreak at Sekondi has been confirmed dead at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital.

Two other victims are still at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital receiving treatment.

In addition, 15 outboard motors, several fishing gears and other items were destroyed in the fire.

When the JoyNews team visited the scene Friday morning, some of the victims were sifting through the debris in hopes of finding something substantial.

Nana Prah one of the victims of the fire said the explosion could have been avoided entirely if city authorities had responded to complaints from shop owners in the area concerning the hoarding of premix fuel by some traders.

“Buy what you need and leave the rest in the underground tank. But because of what is happening with the premix fuel, everybody feels they need to get a reserve. Non-fishermen are buying it and keeping it around, that’s why they couldn’t contain the fire initially,” he said.

Member of Parliament for Sekondi Andrew Egyapa Mercer who was at the scene this morning with the Sekondi-Takoradi Mayor Abdul Issah Mumin and NADMO officials confirmed hearing the issue of hoarding at the beach but says he is yet to pick actionable intelligence.