Ghana: Three Die, Others Injured in Aboso Explosion

What the report says

Three people were killed and three others injured after an explosion tore through a tailings site at Aboso near Tarkwa in Ghana’s Western Region on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Ghanaian Times report distributed by AllAfrica. The dead included the site owner, identified as David Kofi Fletcher, along with two others named Solomon and Baba.

The article said the injured were taken to Tarkwa Municipal Hospital, where they were receiving treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy. The blast also damaged nearby homes and vehicles, breaking window panes and affecting six vehicles at a washing bay close to the site.

Western Central Regional Police Command spokesperson ASP Beatrice Turkson confirmed the incident and said police had opened an investigation and secured the scene. Early findings cited in the report suggested workers had seen a python at the site, prompting Fletcher to arrive with a shotgun; police said it was suspected that a shot struck explosive material stored there, triggering the explosion.

The report also said the Minerals Commission had been informed and was cooperating with police. Beyond this case, the incident highlights the risks posed by the illegal storage or handling of explosives, an issue police warned can endanger lives and property.