Omanghana
At least four people have been killed and several others injured following a powerful dynamite explosion at Aboso in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality of Ghana’s Western Region.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at Breman, a suburb of the mining town. The force of the explosion reportedly shook nearby buildings, causing some residents to initially believe that an earthquake had struck the area.
Preliminary eyewitness accounts suggest that the explosion was accidentally triggered during an attempt to kill a snake. A man reportedly fired a gun at the reptile, but the bullet missed its target and struck a quantity of commercial dynamite stored nearby.
The explosives were allegedly hidden close to a gas station by a person believed to be involved in the sale or handling of mining explosives. Authorities have yet to confirm the full circumstances surrounding the storage and detonation.
Four people who were working or standing near the site reportedly died instantly. Several bystanders also suffered injuries of varying severity and were transported for emergency medical treatment.
Emergency personnel and other first responders were deployed to the scene to rescue the injured, recover the bodies and secure the area against further explosions.
The blast caused panic throughout the community, with residents rushing from their homes and businesses after hearing the loud detonation and feeling the ground shake.
The Ghana Police Service has opened an investigation into the incident. Investigators are expected to establish the precise cause of the explosion and determine how commercial mining explosives came to be stored near a public gas station.
The inquiry will also seek to identify those responsible for the explosives and establish whether the storage arrangement breached Ghana’s mining, public safety and explosives regulations.
Authorities are expected to release further information after completing their preliminary assessment of the scene.
Source: Omanghana
