The Western Central Regional Police Command has launched a full-scale investigation into the explosion that claimed three lives at a tailings site in Aboso, near Tarkwa, on Tuesday, revealing that illegally stored explosives may have been ignited by a gunshot fired at a python.
A statement issued by the Head of the Regional Public Affairs Unit, Assistant Superintendent of Police Beatrice Turkson, said preliminary investigations indicate that the deceased site owner, David Kofi Fletcher, arrived at the site with a pump-action shotgun after workers alerted him to the presence of a python.
According to the Police, Fletcher allegedly fired at the reptile, but the shotgun pellets are suspected to have struck explosive materials believed to have been illegally stored at the premises, triggering the devastating blast.The explosion instantly killed Fletcher and two other persons identified only as Solomon and Baba.
Three other victims sustained varying degrees of injuries and were rushed to hospital, where they are receiving treatment.
The bodies of the deceased have since been deposited at the Tarkwa Municipal Hospital Mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
The Police statement also disclosed that the explosion caused extensive destruction beyond the mining site. Several houses within the vicinity had their window panes shattered by the impact, while six vehicles parked at a nearby washing bay suffered damaged windscreens and windows.Police officers responded to the scene immediately after receiving reports of the explosion and commenced investigations.
The statement noted that the Minerals Commission has been notified and is working jointly with the Police to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident, including the source and legality of the explosives allegedly stored at the site.The Command expressed its condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
It also used the opportunity to remind the public that the unlawful possession, storage, handling or sale of explosives is a serious criminal offence that poses grave risks to public safety.The Police therefore urged members of the public to report any suspected illegal storage or handling of explosives to the nearest police station.
The tragedy, which has shocked residents of the mining community, has renewed concerns over compliance with explosives safety regulations at mining and tailings sites in the Western Region, with investigations expected to determine whether any regulatory breaches contributed to the fatal incident.
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