At least six people have burned to death after a bus caught fire at Akumadan on the Kumasi-Techiman road in Ghana’s Ashanti Region.
Authorities said the death toll from Tuesday’s crash could rise as several others whose conditions are said to be critical are receiving treatment at various health facilities within the Offinso North area.
Images widely shared online show joint emergency teams cut into the wreckage of the charred bus to rescue the perishing.
It was not clear how many people were travelling in the bus but police said the bus with registration number, GT 4215-17 run into a stationary a truck near the Akumadan police checkpoint at about 4:30 a.m.
Although investigations have started police are pointing the cause of the accident to overspeeding.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Gyasi-Agyemang, a commander with the Offinso North said: “What we have gathered so far is that the bus was coming from Nandom loaded with passengers. According to the passengers, the driver was overspeeding. Although they told him, he ignored them. So what they got to the police checkpoint, my men who were stationed there confirmed the same story that the driver was speeding so signalled him to stop, but he refused. He manoeuvred through the barrier and collided with a stationary Kia Rio truck.”
“So six were burnt to death and 22 escaped with minor injuries”, he stated.
Accidents are common on the Kumasi-Techiman road, which connects Ghana to its northern neighbours.
On Monday, November 1, at least 17 people were killed at Abofour, a community on that stretch. Some 24 others were injured.
The police in the area said investigations have been launched to ascertain the cause of the accident.
SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH