Four people have been killed and several others injured following a dynamite explosion at Aboso in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality of the Western Region in an incident that eyewitnesses say was triggered by an attempt to kill a snake.
The explosion occurred near a filling station at Breman, sending shockwaves through the community and causing panic among residents, many of whom initially believed an earthquake had struck the area.
An eyewitness, who recounted the incident on Tuesday, August 4, said the blast occurred after a man allegedly fired a gun at a snake but accidentally hit explosives that had reportedly been stored near the filling station.
“We heard a loud sound, which many of us thought was an earthquake. We later found out that a man who is known to be dealing in explosives had gone to hide some of these explosives around a gas station in Breman,” the eyewitness said.
According to the eyewitness, some workers linked to the owner of the explosives were working in the area when they spotted the snake and attempted to shoot it.
The gunshot, which was intended to kill the reptile, allegedly struck the hidden explosives, triggering a powerful explosion that killed four people and left several others with varying degrees of injuries.
The force of the blast reportedly caused extensive panic in the community, with residents rushing from their homes after hearing the deafening explosion.
The injured were rushed to nearby health facilities for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased have been retrieved.
Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the storage of the explosives and the cause of the explosion.
The incident has also raised fresh concerns about the handling and storage of explosives in populated communities, particularly near public facilities such as filling stations.
