It was horrific and devastating as rescuers retrieved the charred and mortal remains of legions who lost their lives; out of the plume of black smoke rising above destroyed buildings and scattered debris, following a huge explosion yesterday afternoon, which flattened Apiate, a town near Bogoso in the Western region.
Police have not confirmed the number of casualties but graphic videos showed mutilated bodies of victims and added as the cause of the explosion, that a vehicle carrying mining explosives collided with a motorcycle near the Bogoso town.
“The extensive fire caused considerable damage to several buildings and their contents in the Community. A number of people are feared dead,” the fire service said in a statement.
So devastating was the explosion that President Akufo said he received a briefing on the circumstances that led to the Apiate, resulting in the loss of lives and the destruction of properties belonging to residents and that “ It is a truly sad, unfortunate and tragic incident, and I extend, on behalf of Government, deep condolences to the families of the deceased, and I wish the injured a speedy recovery.
The Police, Armed Forces, and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) are coordinating efforts to contain the situation, and I have also instructed NADMO to see to it that rapid relief is brought to residents of the town.
The government will spare no effort to ensure a rapid return to a situation of normalcy for residents of Apiate,” he added on his Facebook page(published).
The Ghana Police Service has since made a passionate appeal to surrounding communities to open up schools and churches to house residents of the town who have been rendered homeless.
“The public has been advised to move out of the area to nearby towns for their safety while recovery efforts are underway,” the police said in a statement.
“An appeal is also being made to nearby towns to open up their classrooms, churches etc to accommodate surviving victims.”
