A dynamite explosion at Aboso in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality of the Western Region has killed four people and injured several others.
The incident occurred at a tailings site at Breman on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.
Reports indicate that a gunshot fired in an attempt to kill a python triggered an explosion involving dynamite that had reportedly been stored at the site.
According to an eyewitness, residents were startled by a loud blast, which many initially mistook for an earthquake.
“We heard a loud sound, which many of us thought was an earthquake. We later found out that a man who was known to be dealing in explosives had hidden some of the explosives around the site,” the eyewitness recounted.
The eyewitness said workers at the site spotted a snake and informed the owner, who arrived at the premises with a firearm to kill it.
According to the eyewitness, the gunshot missed the snake but struck the explosives, triggering the explosion.
The blast caused widespread panic in the community as emergency personnel rushed to the scene to assist the victims and secure the area.
Police probe
Meanwhile, the Western Central Regional Police Command has launched an investigation into the explosion.
According to the Police, preliminary investigations indicate that workers at the site spotted a python and informed the owner of the facility, David Kofi Fletcher, who was among those killed.
The Police said Fletcher reportedly arrived at the site with a pump-action gun to kill the reptile. It is suspected that after he fired a shot, the pellets struck explosive materials believed to have been illegally stored on the premises, triggering the explosion.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, August 5, the Western Central Regional Police Command said the bodies of the deceased had been conveyed to the morgue.
“The Minerals Commission has been notified and is collaborating with the Police as investigations continue to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.”
