Old bomb explodes

An old bomb exploded near a house in Tema Community Five Extension at mid-day on Saturday killing a fowl and setting a palm tree on fire. No one was injured.

Mr Addo Kwapong, a tenant of House Number AP 19, said explosion cracked a wall of a nearby house and shattered the louvers of another.

Mr Kwapong, who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency on Sunday, said a thick smoke and heavy dust followed the explosion, which made all the tenants to rush from their rooms for safety.

"When the smoke had subsided and the dust settled, I mustered courage and walked to the spot where the explosion occurred and found a shell. It was very hot when I attempted to touch it, so I left it there", he said.

Mr Kwapong, an employee of Maroon Shipping, Tema, said he called the Community Two Police and the Chief Inspector in charge arrived with one of his men within 10 to 15 minutes, adding, "I conducted them round the scene of the explosion and showed them the shell".

"The Police said it was an old bomb and told us that they would inform Military Ballistic Experts to come and examine it on Monday."

He said they decided to inform the Tema Regional Commander of Police in the evening, who arrived at the house at 19:00 hours, turn informed the Military, who came to the scene of the explosion at 23:00 hours and they confirmed that it was an old bomb.

Mr Kwapong said the leader of the Military team told them that they would come on Monday to excavate the area to find out if there were other bombs.

Explaining the circumstances that led to the blast, Mr Kwapong said the household undertook a clean up exercise and some sticks and few other items were incinerated.

He said it was when the fire was dying down that the explosion occurred. The Police confirmed that the incident had been reported to them and they had visited the scene.