A horrific accident on the Accra-Suhum highway has left three people dead and several others injured after a fuel tanker lost control and burst into flames on Saturday morning.
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) confirmed they responded to a distress call at about 4:49 am at Signboard, near Okanta.
Upon arrival, firefighters from the Suhum and Bunso stations found a scene of utter devastation, with multiple vehicles engulfed in fire.
Eyewitnesses reported that the incident began when a fuel tanker, laden with petrol from Tema en route to Kumasi, lost control on the dual carriageway at Ntoaso.
According to a police statement, the driver’s loss of control caused the tanker’s compartment to rupture (“bulk blasting”), splashing fuel onto vehicles travelling behind it, which subsequently ignited.
The intense blaze destroyed six vehicles and four motorcycles. Among the wreckage, firefighters initially recovered the bodies of three people who were burnt beyond recognition.
Police have since clarified the grim tally, stating that two unidentified male bodies were found charred at the scene, while a third unidentified body was discovered inside one of the burnt vehicles.
The GNFS initially reported that seven people sustained injuries. In a later update, police specified that four people who were injured in the blast were rushed to nearby health facilities and are receiving medical attention.
Authorities have launched an investigation to confirm the full circumstances leading to the driver losing control. The identities of the deceased are yet to be officially released.
