The Western Central Police Command and the Minerals Commission have launched an investigation into a deadly explosion at a tailings site in Aboso, near Tarkwa, in the Western Region.
The explosion, which occurred around midday on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, claimed three lives and left three other people injured.
According to the police, preliminary investigations suggest that the incident may have been triggered by a shooting at the site.
Police said workers at the facility reportedly spotted a python and informed the owner, David Kofi Fletcher. The owner is said to have arrived at the site with a pump-action shotgun in an attempt to kill the snake.
Investigators suspect that after he fired at the reptile, some of the pellets struck explosive materials believed to have been illegally stored at the premises.
The impact is suspected to have triggered the explosion, resulting in the deaths and injuries.
The deceased have been identified as the site owner, David Kofi Fletcher, and two other individuals known as Solomon and Baba.
The bodies have been deposited at the Tarkwa Municipal Hospital Mortuary, where they are expected to undergo preservation and autopsy.
Three other victims suffered various degrees of injuries and are currently receiving medical treatment at a hospital.
The explosion also caused significant damage to property in the surrounding area. Several nearby houses reportedly had their windows shattered, while the windscreens and windows of six vehicles parked at a nearby washing bay were damaged.
The Minerals Commission is working with the police as part of efforts to determine how the suspected explosives came to be stored at the site.
The Western Central Regional Police Command has warned the public against possessing, storing, handling or selling explosives without the required authorisation.
