The Western Central Regional Police Command has launched an investigation into a deadly explosion at a tailings site in Aboso, near Tarkwa, which left three people dead and three others injured.
The Minerals Commission has also been notified and is collaborating with law enforcement to establish the full circumstances surrounding the blast and the presence of unauthorized explosive materials on the site.
Preliminary police investigations reveal that the incident occurred around midday on Tuesday, August 4, after site workers spotted a python and alerted the owner, David Kofi Fletcher.
Mr Fletcher arrived at the scene armed with a pump-action shotgun to destroy the reptile, but pellets from his gunshot allegedly struck explosives illegally kept at the premises, triggering a massive detonation.
The blast killed Mr Fletcher alongside two workers identified only as Solomon and Baba.
Three other individuals suffered varying degrees of injury and were rushed to hospital for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the Tarkwa Municipal Hospital Mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
The force of the explosion shattered window panes of surrounding houses and damaged six vehicles parked at a nearby washing bay.
“The Western Central Regional Police Command expresses its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and wishes the injured persons a speedy recovery,” ASP Beatrice Turkson, Head of the Public Affairs Unit for the Region, stated.
She further warned the public against illegal explosive storage, adding, “The Command further reminds the public that the unlawful possession, storage, handling, or sale of explosives constitutes a serious offence and poses significant risks to public safety.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
