Over 30 passengers escaped death by a whisker after the Yutong bus they were travelling on from Takoradi towards Kumasi direction burst into flames Thursday, April 13, 2023, around 2:30am.
According to the passengers, on reaching a section of the road at Assin Kyekyewere in the Assin South District on Cape Coast Assin Fosu Highway, they noticed smoke from the rear portion of the vehicle.
The driver then parked the vehicle on the road and opened the boot and realized the engine was the source of the fire but in an attempt to quench it with fire extinguisher, the bus was suddenly engulfed in flames and got burnt.
Although all passengers escaped unhurt properties worth thousands of Ghana Cedis such laptops, mobile phones, money and traveling bags were consumed by the fire.
Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service from Abura Dunkwa fire station quickly responded to the call to douse the fire but by the time they got there, the vehicle had already burned due to the long distance.
According to the District Fire Officer of Abura Dunkwa, DOIII Wisdom Yao Gogovi, efforts are underway to tow the vehicle from the scene, and also ascertain the cause of the fire.
He used the opportunity to advise drivers to acquire appropriate weight and functioning fire extinguishers and keep them within reach for quick access in case of fire threat.
DOIII Wisdom Yao Gogovi advised Adding drivers involved in vehicular fire emergencies not to fully open the bonnet since oxygen which aids burning could enter the fire source to make the situation worse.