A truck carrying explosives to a gold mine in western Ghana exploded, flattening a rural community and killing at least 13 people.
The charred remains of hundreds of houses were visible in Apiate, a village about 200 kilometres (130 miles) west of Accra. The blast caused a crater about 20 meters (66 feet) wide. Other buildings had their roofs and doors blown off.
The rescue workers searched the site while excavators dug through the larger piles of dirt and debris.
It is unimaginable the amount of damage done to lives and property here, said a volunteer with the storm response team. … you could find human remains scattered everywhere yesterday, he added.
Police say 180 people were injured in the explosion.
A video apparently captured by a bystander in Apiate clearly shows people walking towards a fire on the side of the road when the settlement was ripped apart by an explosion.
The cause of the accident was not immediately known. According to police, a motorcycle crashed into the truck and caught fire, and a government statement suggested that a power transformer at the roadside may have been involved.
The truck belonged to a Spanish company called Maxam and the explosives were destined for the Chirano gold mine, which is controlled by Toronto-based Kinross Gold Corporation.
Until the outcome of the investigation into the incident, Maxam will not be able to manufacture, transport or supply explosives for mining operations, according to the ministry of lands and natural resources.
Ghana’s chief inspector of mines, who oversees explosives use in the sector, was also suspended by the ministry.
Ofori, the director of public affairs for the Ghana Police Service, told reporters earlier on Friday that the explosives were transported according to proper procedure, and that a police officer escorted the truck.
Currently, the site is being treated as a crime scene by police while they investigate, he said without giving details.
The death toll could have been much higher.
Police spokesperson Ofori explained that there was a pause between the collision and the explosion, which gave the driver time to warn the community.
Teachers at a nearby school were among the first to be informed, and they evacuated the children.
The driver also told most residents, including the moto rider, to move out, Ofori said.
Earlier on Friday, the government reported 17 deaths, confusing four people who are alive but in critical condition, Ofori said.
Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia applauded rescue efforts in Apiate, near Bawdie and Bogoso, and said government was working to set up temporary housing for those displaced.
He said, “We will learn lessons from this, but they will be later. For now, we are very concerned about how to finish this rescue effort.”.
