Paebo residents count losses after explosion

Residents of Paebo, near Adoagyiri-Nsawam in the Eastern Region, are still counting their losses from last Wednesday’s explosion from a defunct quarry in the area.

The explosion of two containers of ammonia and dynamite chemicals led to one death, many injuries, displacement of 1,236 people and the shattering of whole or part of the roofs, doors, windows and louvre blades of 200 buildings.

When the Daily Graphic team last Monday visited the affected areas – some as far as three kilometres away from the quarry site, some of the people were still living in their affected buildings.

They said the destruction was beyond their imagination and that they did not have the money to repair the damage to their buildings.

There were deep holes in the roofs of homes through which water could pass to inundate living areas in the event of a downpour.

The quarry, known as the A.K.Y. Mining Services, had, for some time now, stopped operating and the site abandoned without any security.

Although the police are yet to conclude investigations, it is suspected that the explosives, believed to be dynamite abandoned in a 40-footer container, might have come into contact with fire allegedly started by some hunters.

Mr Kingsley Twum, a resident of Yawkrom, said his building was a life-time investment by himself and his brother.

He said after roofing the building, they moved in awaiting some finishing touches.

He said the destruction of the roof had undermined the progress made so far and that they did not know how long it would take for them to raise money to buy new roofing sheets for refixing.

Mr Twum said although he had learnt that the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) would be offering some support, he did not believe the support would be enough.

He claimed that some NADMO officials would capitalise on their plight to enrich themselves with the allocations.

The St Martin’s Senior High School (SHS) at Adoagyiri was badly affected by the explosion as the louvre blades of the library, the administration block, master’s bungalows, the assembly hall and the chapel were shattered.

Parts of the roof of the school’s chapel had been ripped off by the force of the explosion.

The acting Senior Housemaster of the St Martin’s SHS, Mr Gabriel Kwami Dzededzi, told the reporter that the cost of the damage was way beyond the budget of the school.

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