Kumasi-Accra Road - a Death Trap?

ACCIDENTS on the Kumasi-Accra road are a common sight. Not a single day passes without a reported road accident. Lives are lost as a result and in spite of public awareness and education through periodic road safety campaigns, the menace is assuming an alarming rate.

On September 10, this year, one such terrible accident occurred at Odumasi, near Konongo, in the Asante Akim North District.

A 308 Benz car with registration number As 2882 T, driven by one William Donkor, which was conveying passengers from Accra to Kumasi, got involved in an accident, caught fire and was burnt to ashes.

Mr. Donkor told Chronicle that while he was negotiating a curve near the Odumasi Agric station, he saw a vehicle in front of him, which he thought was in motion, but before he could realise that the car was rather parked in the middle of the road, it was too late and he ran his vehicle into the rear of the parked cargo vehicle, the impact of which made his Benz car catch fire.

Chronicle investigation revealed that though the passengers' belongings were burnt up, the passengers themselves managed to escape unhurt.

Personnel of Konongo Fire Service proceeded to the accident spot and extinguished the fire within five minutes, Donkor said.

The duty officer of the fire crew explained that it was a petrol vapor, which came into contact with heat from the car that started the fire.