A massive explosion at a quarry site in western Ghana has claimed the lives of five people, including one Chinese national, and injured dozens more, according to local authorities. The blast, which occurred on Saturday night, also damaged hundreds of buildings in the surrounding communities in the Shama district.
The cause of the explosion is still under investigation, but eyewitnesses said a fire that broke out near a pile of explosives that were stored at the site triggered it. The explosives belonged to Omni Quarries, a Chinese-owned company that operates a granite mine in the area.
The explosion was so powerful that it created a huge crater and sent shockwaves across several kilometers, shattering windows, ripping off roofs, and collapsing walls. Some victims were workers sleeping at the site, while others were residents caught unaware by the blast.
Rescue workers from the police, the fire service and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) rushed to the scene to search for survivors and assess the extent of the damage. Michael Nyah, a local NADMO official, told Reuters that four people were still missing, and two were in critical condition at a regional hospital.
The incident has sparked outrage and grief among the affected communities, demanding justice and compensation from the quarry company and the government. They also accused the company of violating safety regulations and endangering their lives and livelihoods.
This is not the first time Ghana has witnessed such a devastating explosion involving mining explosives. In January 2022, a similar accident occurred in Apeatse, near Bogoso, when a truck carrying explosives collided with a motorcycle, resulting in multiple blasts that killed 13 people and injured 57 others. Over 500 buildings were also destroyed in that incident.
Source: myjoyonline
