General News of Sunday, 18 January 2009

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Eight die in fatal accident on Accra-Tema Motorway

Eight people died on the spot and several others, including the driver and mate sustained severe injuries when a 207 benz bus was involved in a fatal accident on the Accra end of the motorway last Friday evening.

The injured were rushed to the Tema General Hospital while the dead, including a four-month old baby were deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.

The few survivors also included an eight-month-old baby.

Eye witness account indicated that the white bus with registration number AW 1231 Y which was travelling from Accra burst its back right tyre and the other got detached from the back axel after the burst.

As a result it hit a street light pole, somersaulted and landed into a ditch.

The eye witness stated that the bus was fully loaded with foodstuffs— palm fruits, plantain, palm oil and akpeteshie (local gin) in the booth and was travelling at a top speed resulting in the accident.

The load indicated that some of the women were traders who had gone to buy foodstuffs from the hinterland to the urban areas.

Meanwhile, the badly damaged vehicle had been towed from the scene by the police.