The Western Central Regional Police Command has visited victims of the Aboso explosion who are receiving treatment at the Tarkwa Municipal Hospital and Apinto Government Hospital as investigations continue into the incident that claimed three lives and injured several others.
The explosion occurred on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at Aboso Breman Junction in the Nzemafokrom Electoral Area of the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality in the Western Region.
At the Tarkwa Municipal Hospital, six casualties from the incident were recorded. Three were confirmed dead, two are receiving treatment at the Emergency Ward, while one victim has undergone surgery.
Two other victims are currently receiving medical care at the Apinto Government Hospital and are said to be in stable condition while awaiting further assessment by doctors.
A police delegation led by COP Desmond Owusu Boampong, Commander of the Western Central Regional Police Command, visited the facilities to assess the condition of the victims and offer support.
Preliminary investigations by the Police indicate that the explosion may have been triggered after a gunshot struck explosive materials believed to have been illegally stored at the site.
According to the Police, workers at the tailings site spotted a python and informed the owner of the facility, David Kofi Fletcher, who is among those who died in the explosion.
The Police said Mr Fletcher reportedly arrived at the site with a pump-action shotgun to kill the reptile, and it is suspected that after firing the weapon, the pellets hit the explosives, causing the blast.
A mining expert, Frank Denkyi Adjei, who provided a technical assessment to the Western Central Regional Police Command, said the nature of the explosion suggested that the explosives were stored on the surface and were likely struck by a gunshot.
“Preliminary technical assessment suggests the explosives were stored on the surface, and the magnitude of the blast indicates that a gun may have been fired in their direction, triggering the explosion,” Mr Denkyi Adjei said.
The explosion caused extensive damage to nearby properties, including shattered window panes in several houses within the area. Six vehicles parked at a nearby washing bay also had their windscreens and windows damaged.
In a statement, the Western Central Regional Police Command expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and confirmed that the bodies had been deposited at the morgue.
The Police said the Minerals Commission has been notified and is collaborating with them as investigations continue to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
“The Command further reminds the public that the unlawful possession, storage, handling, or sale of explosives constitutes a serious offence and poses significant risks to public safety,” the statement said.
The Police have urged members of the public to report any suspected illegal storage or handling of explosives to the nearest Police Station.
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