Apiorate: At least 13 people were killed and scored injured when a truck carrying explosives to the gold mine in West Ghana exploded, leveling a rural community, police said on Friday.
The burning Timber and torn metal sheet was marked where hundreds of houses stood with AIF, a settlement around 200 km (130 miles) west of the capital Accra.
Thursday’s explosion left the crater with a width of 20 meters (66 feet).
The door and roof were blown by another building, a Reuters reporter on the scene.
Rescuers combed sites while excavators dig a pile of dirt and larger debris.
“We have seen damage to life and property here which is only indescribable,” said Daniel Adu-Gyamfi, a student from the nearest mining campus that came to volunteer with the response team.
“Yesterday …
You can see humans remain in all places.” About 180 people were injured by the explosion, police said.
In a video that seems to be filmed by an observer in an authority, people can be seen walking towards the fire on the side of the road when a strong explosion tore the settlement.
Not immediately clear what caused the accident.
The police said the motorcycle crashed into a truck, then burned, and a government statement suggested roadside transformers can play a role.
The truck was owned by a Spanish company named Maxam carrying explosives to the Chirano Gold mine, run by Toronto-based gold corporation, police said.
The Ministry of Land and Natural Resources said in a statement that Maxam will be suspended from manufacturing, transportation or supplying explosives for mining operations waiting for the investigative results into the incident.
The ministry also ordered the suspension of the main Inspector of Ghana, who was responsible for overseeing the use of explosives in this sector.
Maxam, who has 140 subsidiaries operating in more than 50 countries, has not responded to a request for comments.
Kinross said it planned to provide support for response efforts and assistance items to those affected.
Kwesi ofori, Director of Public Affairs for Ghana Police Service, told reporters previously on Friday that the transportation of explosives followed the right procedure, and the truck had police escort.
The police treats the site as the crime scene when they investigate, he said, without giving details.
Evakuati quickly, the death toll could be much worse.
There was a pause between collisions and explosions, which gave the driver’s time to tell the community that they were in danger, the Ofori police spokesman said.
The teacher at the nearest school is one of the first, and evacuating children.
“(Driver) also announced to most community members to move, including the Moto Rider,” said Ophtha.
The government earlier on Friday said that the 17-year-old dead, mistakenly counted four living but in critical condition, ofori said.
During a visit to request, near the cities of Bawdie and Bogoso, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia praised rescue efforts and said the government worked to establish a temporary housing for those who lost their homes.
“We will learn lessons and it will be later.
For now we are very worried about how to complete this rescue effort,” he said.
Explosion Kill 13, Flattens Village in the Ghana Mining Region
