IGP, dep. Minister visit dynamite explosion site

Acting Inspector General of Police COP John Kudalor and Deputy Minister of the Interior, James Agalga, have visited the dynamite explosion site at Paebo, a community in the Nsawam –Adoagyiri municipality in the Eastern region.

One person has been confirmed dead.

Many residents have been rendered homeless in the community following the ammonium dynamite explosion Wednesday, December 23, 2015.

Several other people have also been critically injured, with properties worth huge sums of money destroyed.

The Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipal Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr. Samuel Prosper Yeboah, confirmed the incident to Class News' Eastern regional correspondent, McAnthony Dagyenga, Wednesday evening.

He said at about 3:30 p.m., the police heard a blast from an abandoned quarry at Paebo, a settlement along the Adeiso road.

He said upon approaching the scene, the police realised the devastation caused by the explosion.

According to him, the explosion may have been triggered by naked fire getting into contact with ammonium dynamite stored in a 40ft container sitting on the abandoned quarry site.

Meanwhile, reliable information gathered by Class News' McAnthony Dagyenga indicates that a total of 16 affected persons are on admission at the Nsawam Government Hospital.

Other information gathered showed several other victims were rushed to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, the Koforidua Regional Hospital, and other nearby health facilities.

The scene of the incident and its immediate environs have, at the moment, been declared no-go areas by security personnel, a situation which has caused residents to vacate their places of abode.

Security personnel anticipate another explosion and have asked residents to stay away from the scene in order to avert more injuries.