The Western Central Police Command has confirmed that three people were killed and three others injured following an explosion at a tailings site at Aboso near Tarkwa.
The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.
Police preliminary investigations indicate that the blast was triggered after gunshots allegedly fired at a python ignited explosives stored at the facility.
“We heard a loud sound, which many of us thought was an earthquake. We later found out that a man who is known to be dealing in explosives had hidden some of the explosives around a filling station at Breman,” the eyewitness recounted on Tuesday, August 4," an eyewitness said.
The eyewitness said some workers associated with the man were working in the area when they spotted a snake and attempted to kill it with a firearm.
The eyewitness said the gunshot missed the snake and struck the explosives, triggering a powerful explosion that killed several people and injured others.
“He fired the gun at the snake, but the bullet hit the explosives, causing a massive explosion that killed some of the people nearby,” the eyewitness said.
The blast caused widespread panic in the community as emergency personnel rushed to the scene to assist victims and bring the situation under control.
Authorities are expected to launch investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine whether the explosives were being stored illegally.
The incident has renewed concerns about the illegal possession, storage and transportation of explosives in mining communities across the Western Region, especially after the deadly Apiate explosion in 2022 and the Anto-Aboso quarry explosion in 2023.