Three persons, including the owner of a tailings site at Aboso near Tarkwa in the Western Region, were killed and three others injured when an explosion ripped through the facility on Tuesday afternoon.
The deceased have been identified as David Kofi Fletcher, the owner of the site, and two others known only as Solomon and Baba.
Their bodies have been deposited at the Tarkwa Municipal Hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy, while the injured are receiving treatment at the same facility.
The explosion also caused extensive damage to nearby houses and vehicles, with several window panes shattered and six vehicles parked at a nearby washing bay sustaining damage.
The Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the Western Central Regional Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Beatrice Turkson, who confirmed the incident to The Ghanaian Times yesterday, said the police had launched investigations into the explosion.
She said police personnel responded swiftly after receiving reports of the incident and secured the scene for investigations.
According to ASP Turkson, preliminary investigations revealed that at about 12 noon on Tuesday, workers at the site spotted a python and alerted Mr Fletcher, who reportedly arrived armed with a pump-action shotgun to kill the reptile.
She explained that it was suspected that after firing a shot, the pellets struck explosive materials believed to have been illegally stored at the premises, triggering the deadly explosion.
ASP Turkson said the Minerals Commission had been informed and was collaborating with the police to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
She expressed the condolences of the Western Central Regional Police Command to the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
ASP Turkson reminded the public that the unlawful possession, storage, handling or sale of explosives constituted a serious offence and posed significant danger to lives and property.
She urged members of the public to report any suspected illegal storage or handling of explosives to the nearest police station to help prevent similar tragedies.
FROM CLEMENT ADZEI BOYE, TAKORADI
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