Earlier reports indicated that he had died with some other victims from the village while some nearby buildings were razed down by the explosive fire. This change has duly been effected in the details of the story. Meanwhile, the police are working assiduously to give up to date briefings about the incident as and when they happen.
The country has been thrown into a state of devastation, following Thursday afternoon’s event at Apiate, a mining community near Bogoso in the Western Region.
An explosion occurring from a collision between a truck carrying explosives and a motorcycle has caused massive damage to lives and properties in the area.
According to police preliminary investigations, a DAF truck with registration number WR 2252-18, that was transporting explosives from the MAXAM Company, Tarkwa, to Chirano Gold Mines collided with a motorcycle resulting in the explosion.
Over 500 homes have been affected whilst persons numbering about 17 have reportedly lost their lives and several others are injured.
Information about the main persons involved in the accident – The driver of the van, the police escort and the motor rider have since emerged.
Here are the details:
DAF Truck Driver:
According to information from the Ghana Police Service, the rider of the motorcycle was from the opposite direction of the road, and rode under the oncoming vehicle at around 1.25 p.m.
Due to the impact of the crash, the motorcycle caught fire and ignited the explosives on the DAF truck before it burst into flames.
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Just around the scene of the accident, there was an ECG transformer, GhanaWeb’s Western Regional Correspondent, Thomas Tetteh reports.
Knowing the content of the car and the associated impending danger, according to him, the driver of the DAF Van who had managed to get out warned residents who had come close to take videos and have first-hand information about the accident, to move away from the scene.
After this, he fled to safety, shortly before the fire aggravated and caused the explosion.
“When the driver realized that the vehicle had caught fire, and knowing the danger it poses to the community, he informed everybody to move far away from where the fire is. Unfortunately, people were around taking pictures and videos with their phones, it got to a point, the whole vehicle blasted and the whole community came down,” he reported from the grounds on Thursday evening.
Meanwhile, police initial reports indicate that the driver sustained a deep cut on the head and was rushed to Government Hospital, Tarkwa.
Motor rider:
The rider of the motor bicycle that was dragged under the DAF van and subsequently caught fire, is reportedly responding to treatment.
According to the police’ situational report, the "gentleman who was on the motorbike is also responding to treatment,".
“Extensive damage was caused to a nearby ECG transformer,” the Police said further.
"Let me use this opportunity to also state that the truck driver is in good hand, the gentleman who was on the motorbike is also responding to treatment," Director-General, Public Affairs Directorate of the Police Service, ACP Kwasi Ofori said, while speaking to media men at a press conference earlier today.
Police escort:
The police preliminary findings have also indicated that the police officer said to have been escorting the said van containing explosives survived.
The Police escort escaped unhurt,” the Police report indicated.
Meanwhile, explaining events from the grounds, GhanaWeb’s Western Regional Correspondent explained that the said police vehicle was found at a different location empty, at a later time after the explosion.
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“When the explosion happened, I was told that the car that was being used as an escort was thrown from its location to a different location and you realise that the whole windscreen was destroyed and the car was mangled,” he reported.
Meanwhile, Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has arrived at the scene of the accident together with Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery and Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister for Lands and Resources and Inspector General of Police, George Akuffo Dampare to evaluate the situation.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has meanwhile commiserated with families of the affected persons.
Former President, John Dramani Mahama and a host of others have also reacted to the issue, describing it as a tragedy, whilst commiserating with the affected persons.
