–Prestea Huni-Valley MCE Reveals As President, Vice Console Bereaved Families & Injured
Seventeen people, have so far died in the Bogoso-Appiate in the Western Region explosion, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Prestea Huni-Valley, has revealed.
Dr Isaac Dsamani, told journalists that “As I speak right now we sent about three of them to Kumasi and some people were also referred to Tarkwa. For now, we have about 17 dead bodies.”
Police confirmed this information in a statement issued yesterday, saying “a huge explosion occurred this afternoon, Thursday, January 20, 2022, at Appiate between Bogoso and Bawdie in the Western Region.”
The President, Nana Akufo-Addo, has expressed sadness at yesterday’s explosion at Appiate near Bogoso in the Western Region that resulted in the death of scores of residents.
While consoling the bereaved families, he extended wishes of speedy recovery to the injured.
Vice President,Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has also expressed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the individuals who lost their lives in the explosion.
“To those who were injured in the unfortunate occurrence, I wish you Godspeed recovery,” he wrote on Facebook.
In a series of tweets, the president said, “I have just received a briefing on the circumstances that led to an explosion in Appiate near Bogoso, in the Western Region, resulting in the loss of lives and the destruction of properties belonging to residents. It is a truly sad, unfortunate and tragic incident, and I extend, on behalf of the Government, deep condolences to the families of the deceased, and I wish the injured a speedy recovery.”
Preliminary investigations by the police, said a vehicle transporting explosives to a mining site collided with a motorcycle resulting in the explosion.
Few minutes after the collision, the vehicle exploded, killing unknown number of people and injuring several others. The highway has been cut into two burying the vehicle in a deep hole in the middle of the town.
This caused a lot of traffic, as no car can move from Bogoso to Bawdie and vice versa.
Lots of cars close to the explosion site, had their windscreens cracked due to the explosion.
Lots of houses and shops caught fire as a result of the explosion, torching houses and shops.
A major hospital in the area, Aseda Hospital, is flooded with accident victims, with others being taken to the Bogoso Health Centre.
Some of the victims were transferred to Hospitals in Tarkwa and nearby hospitals for treatment.
The fire service was at the accident scene, together with an excavator to remove the buried vehicle.
Preliminary investigation by the police, has established that a mining explosive vehicle moving from Tarkwa to Chirano mines collided with a motorcycle, resulting in the explosion.
“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 police stated.
Reinforcement of resources and personnel were deployed to effectively handle the incident.
The public was advised to move out of the area to nearby towns for their safety, while recovery efforts were carried.
The police appealed to nearby towns to open up their classrooms, churches to accommodate surviving victims.
“We continue to urge the public to remain calm as we manage the situation. Further updates regarding the emergency evacuation of the injured will be communicated in due course”, the police statement added.
President Akufo-Addo, said the Police, Armed Forces and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) are coordinating efforts to contain the situation.
He added that he has instructed NADMO to ensure that rapid relief is brought to residents of the community.
“Government will spare no effort to ensure a rapid return to a situation of normalcy for residents of Appiate,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Embassy of the United States of America, Accra has in a Facebook extended its condolences to the people of Ghana, the accident victims and their families. The post reads “Our hearts and prayers are with the victims and those injured in the terrible explosion in Apiate, near Bogoso. May those who perished today rest in eternal peace”.
