One person was killed and three others injured after a fuel tanker caught fire following a head-on collision with a tipper truck on the Accra–Tema Motorway late Monday night, triggering a major emergency response that prevented the blaze from escalating into a larger disaster.
The accident, according to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) occurred between Saka Saka Park and Tanink Ghana at about 11:49 p.m. on June 8, according to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS).
Firefighters from the Tema Motorway Fire Station were dispatched immediately after receiving a distress call and arrived at the scene within minutes to find the fuel tanker fully engulfed in flames.
Additional crews from the Ashaiman and Tema Industrial Area fire stations, supported by a water tanker from the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly, joined the operation as firefighters worked to contain the intense blaze.
The fire was brought under control at 12:56 a.m. and completely extinguished by 1:44 a.m., preventing what officials said could have become a catastrophic fuel tanker explosion.
Three injured occupants — Kwabena Agyapong, Joseph Teye Quarshie, and Aaron Kyei — were rushed to the Tema General Hospital before the arrival of firefighters.
The charred remains of a male believed to be the driver of the tipper truck were later recovered from the scene and handed over to police for preservation and further investigation.
The collision involved a tipper truck with registration number AS 466-19, and a fuel tanker registered AS 3555-24.
The fire caused extensive damage to both vehicles. Authorities said all 26 tyres on the tanker were completely burnt, while the front sections of both vehicles suffered severe structural damage. An undetermined quantity of fuel was also lost in the blaze.
Firefighters and police officers continued cooling and recovery operations into Tuesday morning as efforts were made to clear the scene and restore normal traffic flow along the busy motorway.
The cause of the crash and the subsequent fire remains under investigation.
The GNFS commended the personnel involved in the operation for their swift response, noting that the coordinated effort helped avert a potentially devastating explosion.
Motorists have been advised to exercise caution and obey traffic directives as clearance and recovery operations continue on the stretch of road.
