The Municipal Chief Executive for Prestea Huni-Valley, Dr. Isaac Dasmani has disclosed that 950 residents have been affected by the explosion at Appiatse-Bogoso.
According to him, so far 14 deaths have been confirmed with five in critical conditions and the reported cases of 200 persons sustaining minor injuries.
Speaking to Francis Abban on Morning Starr Monday, the MCE said some of the deceased have been identified and his office is helping the families to bury them.
“For now, we have 5 critical cases, some of them were close to the epicentre, I hear one of them had the intestines almost coming out and 3 have been sent to KATH, one is in Korle-Bu and another one in Cape Coast.
“From the data I have now, over 950 people have been displaced. Hopefully, by the close of tomorrow, we’ll start moving them (displaced victims) to a new place that is quite conducive as compared to where they are now. We want the displaced victims to live a normal life as we consider reconstruction,” Dr. Dasmani disclosed.
He continued “It’s early days to talk about compensation from the company. Maybe, in the near future, we will discuss that. For now, my concerns are making sure the displaced are able to live their normal lives. Whatever anybody has that they want to give to us, we are ready to receive with open arms. We have a warehouse to keep these things so that the victims can live their normal lives,” he added.
On the issue of what really might have caused the explosion, the MCE said “there have been experts here, all the security agencies have visited the scene and they told us they have picked up all the evidence they need.”
However, the rider of the motorcycle said to be involved in the Appiatse explosion claims he did not collide with the explosive-carrying truck as being reported.
He told the Ghana News Agency that he was rather hit by another vehicle from behind and rushed to a nearby health facility before the explosion occurred.
“I didn’t collide with the said truck, neither was I at the scene during the explosion,” the rider (name withheld) said.
He said he was receiving treatment at the health facility when he was informed that a truck had exploded.
“I don’t know where that story is coming from because I was not at the scene. I did not see any truck around me when the accident occurred. I was in the tricycle with one woman and the two of us were carried to the health facility.
“The people that conveyed us to the hospital later informed me that it was a sprinter bus that hit my tricycle and that the driver ran away after the accident,” he insisted.
