Sports News of Friday, 5 June 2015

Source: goal.com

KP Boateng, Atsu send prayers to Ghana after disaster

Kevin-Prince Boateng Kevin-Prince Boateng

A host of African footballing personalities have taken to social media to express their solidarity with the victims of the recent petrol station tragedy in Accra

Kevin-Prince Boateng is just one high-profile football star to have taken to social media to send his thoughts and condolences to those affected by the Accra petrol station disaster.

At least 150 people were killed on Wednesday night in a blaze at a petrol station in the Ghanaian capital.

It is believed that many of the victims were sheltering from the incredible downpours that have been affecting the country over the last few days when the fire broke out.

The conditions impeded rescue efforts and may indeed have caused the inferno, according to the BBC, with water mixing with the fuel to create a flammable area around the gas station.

The heavy rain has also left many without power and has resulted in swathes of the population being left homeless, although the true extent of the damage and the impact of the rains are yet to be seen.

President John Dramani Mahama has announced three days of national mourning to remember those caught up in the petrol station disaster, which he described as ‘catastrophic’.

Writing on his @KPBOfficial Twitter handle, Boateng wrote: “Pray for all the people [sic] in Ghana #accrafloods”

Another high-profile Black Star, Christian Atsu, who recently completed a loan move from Chelsea to Bournemouth, had the following to say on his @ChristianAtsu20 account: “My thoughts & prayers are with the victims of the explosion in Accra & their families. Awful tragedy! God bless All.”

His sympathy was shared by Cameroon international and Galatasaray centre-back Aurelien Chedjou, who wrote: “Pray for Ghana, these images are terrible, a thought for the bereaving families” on his @AurelienChedjou handle.

Ex-Ghana defender Hans Sarpei and midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong both shared the hashtag: #PrayForGhana on their @HansSarpei and @IAMFRIMPONG handles respectively.