Fourteen persons were burnt to death in an accident on the Takoradi-Cape Coast highway. The accident occurred on Tuesday at Asemasa No.1, a community between Western and Central regions around 2pm.
The accident involved a tipper truck and a Ford bus with registration number GW 5628-21, which had onboard some Ghanaians and Chinese nationals travelling from Tarkwa.
When the Daily Statesman visited the Tarkwa-Accra Ford station yesterday, all the drivers were in mourning clothes, shedding tears.
Relations of some of the burnt passengers, who had visited the station for confirmation of their deaths, could not help also wailing and shedding tears. There were only two buses on scale with five passengers in them as at 9 am.
Negligence
The Ford transport business in Tarkwa risks collapsing after the accident because travellers fear they may also meet their untimely death boarding such buses.
But the station master, one Mr Baiden, assured that there is no cause for alarm, insisting that his drivers are experienced and always careful on the road.
According to reports, Tuesday’s accident occurred as a result of negligence on the part of the truck driver, but Mr Baiden said some changes would soon take place at the station to boost confidence of both passengers and drivers.
He disclosed that the changes include withdrawal of all old buses and refresher courses for the drivers.
Superintendent Isaac Sopah, the Western Regional MTDD Commander, said all efforts to save the lives of the victims proved futile.
He said their mortal remains had been deposited at the Central Regional Hospital, and urged anyone who suspects his or her relation was involved in the accident to contact his office for identification and collection of the body.