The Director-General of the Police Public Affairs Department, ACP Kwesi Ofori, has confirmed that the driver of the truck that exploded near Bogoso in the Western Region on Thursday is alive.
He said the motorcyclist whose collision with the truck started the fire that triggered the explosion is also alive, as is the police escort assigned to the truck.
Speaking to Eyewitness News, he said the Tarkwa police duly signed and authorized a police escort for the truck that was transporting explosives to the Chirano gold mines.
The police officer has since been interrogated and has provided police with pertinent information about the incident.
"The police administration wishes to place on record that the vehicle in question was under escort and documents were prepared and handed over to the escort team to escort the product to its destination. They were duly signed by the Tarkwa Divisional Police and there is no foul play involved... The police officer has been interviewed and has expressed his opinion on the matter," ACP Kwesi Ofori stated.
After the incident on Thursday afternoon, there were many different reports, including claims that the driver and the motorcyclist had died.
Others also claimed that there was no security escort to transport the explosives.
But according to ACP Kwesi Ofori, the police escort, the motorcyclist and the truck driver survived the deadly incident.
He said the driver, along with the police escort, helped reduce casualties by warning residents and students at a school to move away because of the threat of an explosion.
"When the incident occurred, the police officer quickly warned residents that an explosion was likely to occur. When the accident occurred, it took about 15 to 20 minutes before the first explosion was heard. Police, along with the driver, tried as best they could to ask onlookers to leave the scene. Some obeyed, others did not. The first and the second explosion devastated the town and the village, where much was destroyed," added ACP Kwesi Ofori.
"The driver, the police officer, and the motorcyclist are all alive because they obeyed the advice," he noted.
Meanwhile, at least 13 people are dead and 59 others are seriously injured.
More than 170 families were directly affected by the incident.
Meanwhile, on behalf of the government, the Vice President visited the Bogoso Catholic Parish Relief Center, where over 300 of the displaced are being cared for, and donated mattresses, bags of rice, and GH¢200,000 for the upkeep of the survivors.