One of the survivors of the gory accident that claimed the lives of 31 people, with 28 burnt beyond recognition, has given a harrowing account of how he and five others managed to escape from the fire scene.
The accident occurred at Dawadawa near Golumpe at Kintampo in the Bono Region on the Kumasi-Tamale highway on Monday dawn.
The tragedy struck close to the area where similar road carnage claimed the lives of more than 55 on the spot last year.
A Grand Bird Kia bus with registration GT 5059-17 which was travelling from Bawku towards Kumasi loaded with vegetables and 12 passengers on board reportedly veered off its lane and collided head-on with a Mercedes Benz Sprinter with registration number AS 1801-18 also from Kumasi heading towards Tamale, and the two vehicles burst into flames immediately after the crash.
Yenbone Maambey, one of the survivors, revealed, “I joined the Grand Bird bus which started its journey from Bawku to Kumasi at Kongo in the Upper East Region with my brother, and we were to alight in Techiman in the Bono East Region.
“Our vehicle veered off its lane and ran into the lane of the oncoming Sprinter Benz bus. We were about 12 passengers on the bus; six of us escaped the deadly accident but one of the brothers who is a policeman died.”
According to him, there were three males and three females who survived the accident and also said that the bus was loaded with green pepper, garden eggs and some carrots.
“I got out before realizing that my other brother who was a policeman had been trapped in the vehicle and burnt to death among the 30 others. My cash of GH¢25,000 which I was going to use in buying some goods has also been burnt.
“Immediately after the crash, the fire started but I used my leg to push the glass covering the window and five others followed me out but the rest could not come out,” he added.
The police have already blamed the accident on careless and inconsiderate driving on the part of the driver of the Grand Bird bus.
Petrol On Board
Bono East Regional Minister Kofi Amoakohene said yesterday that five out of the six survivors, including a pregnant woman, had been discharged from the hospital.
He said investigations were showing that there was petrol on a motorbike and some in a container on board one of the vehicles that crashed.
He said the two cars were using diesel and suspected that had it not been the petrol on board, there would not have been an immediate fire after the crash.
President Mourns
President Akufo-Addo has already sent his condolences to the bereaved families and wished the survivors a speedy recovery.
“My sympathies and condolences go to all the families and loved ones of the deceased in Monday’s horrific accident on the Kintampo-Tamale highway. May their souls Rest In Peace. I also wish the injured a speedy recovery,” the President tweeted on social media.
From Daniel Yao Dayee, Sunyani