Bawku-bound Metro Mass bus bursts into flames

The driver and passengers were helpless as there was no fire extinguisher in the bus

A fully loaded Bawku-bound Metro Mass bus from Kumasi went up in flames Saturday morning at Kobore near the White Volta in the Upper East Region, forcing the driver to pull over for passengers to be evacuated.

Thick smoke was said to have first emanated from the bus just after overtaking another vehicle before it bursts into flames soon after all the visibly shaken passengers had been evacuated from the bus.

The passengers escaped unhurt but almost all their belongings were burnt to ashes.

It is unclear what might have triggered the fire but the driver said he suspects an electrical fault.

The driver, his conductor and the passengers looked on helplessly as they waited for fire personnel from Zebilla because there was no fire extinguisher on the bus.

Except the metal components of the bus and the tyres, all other parts were destroyed in the inferno.

Registered GE 8303-12, the bus was just about 10 minutes to its final destination when the inferno swept through the bus Saturday morning.

An eyewitness Awini Abugri told 3news.com that the bus overtook a vehicle he was travelling in on the road and just a few metres after, smoke engulfed the bus forcing the driver to immediately pull over to find out what was happening.

The smoke, he said was detected in the engine area but they could not do anything to prevent fire as there was no fire extinguisher.

A distress call was placed to the Ghana National Fire Service at Zebilla after several attempts to get fire personnel from Zebilla which was closer to the scene, was unsuccessful.

Leader of the Zebilla fire personnel, George Akanvoe told 3news.com that he immediately mobilized his men and moved to the scene of the incident to bring the fire under control.

According to him, the driver told him he felt a sudden heat under his seat hence parked to check what the fault was only for the bus to start burning.

The fire officer has meanwhile advised drivers to always ensure they have fire extinguishers in their vehicles as first aid option.