One of the injured, the tipper truck and mangle sprinter bus and some of the injured pupils
Seven school pupils of Learners’ Bridge Academy at Dompim in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality of the Western Region were killed in a fatal accident that occurred on Monday at about 4:30pm.
The gory accident, which occurred between Dompim and Bonsa on the Tarkwa-Takoradi Road, also left six other pupils and a teacher seriously injured.
DAILY GUIDE gathered that the accident happened when a tipper truck collided with a Sprinter bus transporting school-children and some teachers from the school to their respective destinations.
According to sources, the school-children got trapped in the mangled bus but with the help of some residents, they were rescued and rushed to the hospital.
Eyewitness reports said the Sprinter bus with registration number GC 2947-09 was heading towards Ahwetieso, near Tarkwa when it collided with the truck registered GT 9135-13.
The truck was believed to be heading towards a mining company in the Western Region when the accident occurred.
Some of the eyewitnesses asserted that the Sprinter bus, which had been conveying the school-children to and from the school on daily basis, was somehow overloaded on that fateful day.
DAILY GUIDE learnt that the police in Tarkwa and Dompim rushed to the scene after receiving reports of the serious crash.
The deceased, who were aged between three and 14, were confirmed dead upon arrival at the hospital.
About six other pupils are currently receiving treatment at the hospital after sustaining various degrees of injury.Â
Police
Confirming the story to DAILY GUIDE, Chief Superintendent Richard Appiah, Western Regional Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service mentioned that the bus was being driven by one Clement Oduro, 44, when the fatal accident happened.
He indicated that the pupils and teachers of Leaders Bridge Academy were being transported from Dompim to Ahwetieso, a suburb of Tarkwa when the misfortune occurred.
The police chief mentioned that on reaching a curve on a section of the road between Dompim and Bonsa, the driver lost control and veered into the opposite lane.
“In the process the bus collided with the truck belonging to Shalonis Company Limited driven by one Samuel Agyei, 44, from Tarkwa towards Nsuaem enroute to Adamus Mines in the region.
Chief Supt Appiah confirmed that seven pupils who have not been identified were rushed to Tarkwa and Agona Nkwanta Hospitals but were pronounced dead upon arrival.
He pointed out that the bodies of the deceased had been deposited in the morgues of the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi and Tarkwa Government Hospital respectively.
He also indicated that six pupils and a teacher, who were in serious condition, were transferred to the 37 Military Hospital in Accra and Effia-Nkwanta Hospital in ambulances provided by AngloGold Ashanti Iduaprime Mine in Tarkwa.
The Regional MTTD boss said the driver of the Sprinter Bus was on admission at the new government hospital at Tarkwa while the truck driver Samuel Agyei was in police custody at Dompim to assist in investigations.
MCE Visits
Meanwhile, the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Gilbert Ken Asmah, has visited the accident victims at the Tarkwa Government Hospital and some family members of the deceased.
The MCE wished the survivors well and pleaded with drivers to be extra careful on the road, keep their vehicles in good condition and respect road traffic regulations to help prevent road accidents.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi