Several people are feared dead at Apeate, near Bogoso in the Western Region, after a tanker explosion occurred in the farming community yesterday.
According to the officer in charge of the area’s National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), a container carrying some explosives used by mining companies for blasting, caught fire and exploded upon reaching the community.
Initial reports had it that a tanker loaded with gas travelling from Bogoso to Kumasi skidded off the road, burst a tyre and exploded, but the police has said it was rather explosives used for mining that caught fire.
Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) spent many hours before subduing the inferno.
It was also indicated that bodies of the dead were deposited at the morgue of the Bogoso Hospital and the injured receiving treatment at the same facility.
However, speaking to DAILY GUIDE, the NADMO boss of the Prestea Huni Valley Municipal Assembly, Francis Abeiku Yankah, confirmed that the disaster occurred when explosives being transported on the Bogoso-Bawdie- Ayanfuri road caught fire and exploded.
He said information he gathered was that at about 11:30am yesterday, the truck was moving on the Bogoso-Bawdie- Ayamfuri-Kumasi road and upon reaching Apeate, near Bogoso, a tricycle popularly called ‘Pragya’ crossed the truck carrying the explosives.
“And in an attempt to save the tricycle rider, the truck driver applied the brakes at once and unfortunately some flames emanated from beneath the truck followed by a big bang, a ferocious fire and a collapse of many buildings in the area,” he said.
He said some residents fled when the explosion rocked the area and sent massive fireballs into the sky. The fire quickly spread to every corner of the community.
“This is a national disaster and I need the assistance from both the region and national levels because this is beyond me. Several people are dead and many injured,” he said.
He indicated, “I cannot give you the specific number of people who are dead because a whole community is destroyed,” adding that “With the help of a grader machine we are still removing some dead bodies from the debris and the Ambulance Service is helping in carrying the injured to the hospital.”
“A lot of houses have been burnt. The truck which was carrying the explosives is destroyed beyond recognition,” he disclosed.
The Ghana Police Service has confirmed the incident, saying “reference to our earlier emergency public notice, the Police have taken charge of the situation providing security to enable the emergency workers including the Ghana National Fire Service, NADMO and the Ambulance Service to manage the situation.”
“The public has been advised to move out of the area to nearby towns for their safety while recovery efforts are underway. An appeal is also being made to nearby towns to open up their classrooms, churches etc to accommodate surviving victims.”
The statement said “preliminary investigation has established that a mining explosive vehicle moving from Tarkwa to Chirano mines collided with a motorcycle resulting in the explosion. Most of the victims have been rescued and are on admission at various hospitals and clinics within the Bogoso Municipality. Reinforcement of resources and personnel have been deployed to effectively handle the incident. We urge all to remain calm as we manage this unfortunate situation.”
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi