A fuel tanker carrying 54,000 liters of diesel from the Tema Express Oil Marketing Company to the Western Region caught fire on Friday at Ayensukrom No.2, a community along the Tarkwa-Bogoso Highway.
The truck registered as GR-3583-20, was en route to Hiawa and Aboi Nkwanta when the incident occurred.
Fortunately, both the driver, Kofi Oppong, and his mate, Emmanuel Offei, escaped unharmed.
Alex Assiem, the Tarkwa Divisional Officer of the Ghana Fire Service, confirmed the incident.
He explained that at approximately 0959 hours on October 6, they received a wireless message about the fuel truck fire at Ayensukrom No. 2.
The driver and his mate noticed flames under the truck a few meters from the town, affecting the brakes while descending a hill.
Despite the driver's efforts to park the truck at the roadside and inspect the issue, it suddenly caught fire.
While the tanker suffered minor leakages, the entire front portion of the truck (head) was burned.
Fire officers from Prestea had already extinguished the fire upon arrival.
Although the incident temporarily disrupted traffic for about an hour, police officers from Tarkwa and Bogoso were present to manage the situation and disperse the crowd.
DO II Assiem assured residents that there would be no explosion, as they had cooled down the temperature of the diesel in the truck.
He advised the public to stay away from such scenes for their safety, referencing past tragedies related to explosions.
The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of safety measures when transporting hazardous materials.
- Reporting by Erica Apeatua Addo: Editing by Adewale Adejoke
