…Claims Three Lives, injured 40 on Kasoa-Winneba Highway”
Three individuals have tragically lost their lives in a dynamite explosion incident near Budumburam on the Kasoa-Winneba highway in the Central Region. The explosion, which also left over 40 others injured to varying degrees, took place during routine rock blasting activities associated with the ongoing construction work on the Kasoa-Winneba road.
Eyewitnesses revealed that the blast occurred as part of the standard procedures carried out during the highway construction, with the construction company usually issuing warnings for bystanders to evacuate the area before initiating any rock blasting operations. However, conflicting accounts suggest that the explosion occurred during daytime rather than the usual practice of late-night blasting to minimize risk when the road is less congested and people are typically indoors.
Among the injured, 42 individuals were swiftly taken to St. Gregory Hospital, where three of them unfortunately succumbed to their injuries, while the rest are currently undergoing treatment. In a display of anger and frustration, some affected residents confronted the construction workers over the incident, with victims sustaining injuries including head and leg wounds.
Further details from the hospital indicated that four victims have since been discharged, and some injured individuals were transferred to the 37 Military Hospital and the Winneba Hospital for specialized care. Nasir Ahmad Yartey, the Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Roads and Highways, expressed deep regret over the unfortunate occurrence.
Yartey disclosed that prior to this incident, the contractor had carried out similar operations 21 times without any incidents. Speaking on Channel One News shortly after the explosion, he emphasized the ministry’s perplexity regarding the event and assured that a thorough investigation will be conducted. Yartey pledged that if culpability is found, appropriate actions will be taken, and compensation will be provided as necessary.
He also mentioned that during the aftermath, 20 workers were reportedly assaulted by irate residents, and two of them narrowly escaped fatal harm. Despite the contractor being absent when media personnel arrived at the scene, Yartey urged for calm pending the official investigation.
This unfortunate episode follows closely on the heels of two recent accidents in East Legon, Accra, and on the Obuase-Kumasi highway. In the East Legon incident, two youths lost their lives in a tragic collision on Saturday, while in the second event, 14 individuals were reported deceased.