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At least 17 people were killed and 59 others were injured Thursday in an explosion that destroyed part of a city in western Ghana, as a result of an accident involving a truck carrying explosive materials, the government announced at night.
The blast occurred in Abyasi, near Bogoso, about 300 km west of Accra, the capital of the mineral-rich West African country.
Information Minister Kojo Obong-Nkrumah said – in a statement last night – that the first elements of the investigation show that it is an “accident between a truck transporting explosive materials for a mining company, a motorcycle and a third machine, which occurred near an electrical transformer and led to the explosion.”
The explosion occurred when a motorcycle fell under a truck carrying explosives owned by a company called “Maxam”, which was on its way to the Chirano gold mine operated by “Kinross”, based in Toronto.
“Unfortunately, a total of 17 people have been confirmed dead and 59 wounded have been rescued,” he added.
The minister explained that among the injured, 42 are currently being cared for in health centers, noting that “some of them are in critical condition.”
Seiji Saji Amidono, deputy director general of the National Disaster Management Organization, said the blast destroyed 500 buildings.
The government said that all hospitals near the site of the accident are working to treat the injured, pointing out that an evacuation plan has been activated to transfer those in critical condition to medical facilities in Accra so that they can receive treatment.
“In order to avoid a second explosion, a joint team of blast experts from the police and the army has been deployed to monitor the situation and take security measures,” the government statement said.
