At least 17 people died and another 59 were injured in the huge explosion that occurred yesterday near the mining town of Bogoso, in western Ghana, caused by an accident involving a truck carrying explosives.
This was announced today by the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah.
The explosion occurred around 12 in Appiatse, about 300 kilometers west of Accra, the capital of this West African country rich in mineral resources. According to preliminary information, it is "an accident involving a truck carrying explosive material for a mining company, a motorcycle and a third vehicle, which occurred near an electrical transformer and led to the explosion", explained Oppong. -Nkrumah in a statement Of the 59 injured people, 42 are currently hospitalized in health centers and "some are in critical condition," the minister said.
All nearby hospitals have been mobilized to treat the injured and an evacuation plan has been activated to transport critically ill people to medical facilities in Accra so they can receive treatment, the government said.
"To avoid a second explosion, a joint team of police and army explosion experts was deployed to investigate the situation and put security measures in place," the statement said.