Four people have died, and several others sustained injuries following an explosion involving suspected explosives at Aboso in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality of the Western Region.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, August 4, with eyewitnesses claiming the blast was triggered after an attempt to shoot a snake accidentally ignited explosives reportedly stored near a fuel station at Breman.

According to an eyewitness, residents were startled by a loud explosion, with many initially believing an earthquake had occurred.

“We heard a loud sound, which many of us thought was an earthquake. We later found out that a man who is known to be dealing in explosives had gone to hide some of these explosives around a gas station in Breman,” the eyewitness said.

The eyewitness alleged that some workers linked to the owner of the explosives were working nearby when they spotted a snake and attempted to kill it with a gun.

He said the bullet missed the snake and struck the explosives, setting off a powerful explosion.

“He fired the gun aimed at the snake, but it ended up hitting the explosives that were hidden and ended up exploding, killing many of the people who were around,” the eyewitness recounted.

The blast claimed four lives and left several others injured, while sending residents fleeing in panic.

Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene to assist the injured and secure the area.

The circumstances surrounding the storage of the explosives and the exact cause of the explosion are yet to be officially confirmed, and investigations are expected to establish the full details of the incident.