Sunyani, Jan. 25, GNA - The Ghana Police Service on Wednesday confirmed that nine people were burnt to death in the tragic motor accident at Ayakomaso on the Sunyani-Berekum highway on Tuesday.

There are conflicting figures in the media about the death toll in the accident that occurred when a bus collided head-on with a taxi.

The Ghana News Agency on Tuesday quoted an eye-witness of the accident as saying 21 persons were feared dead.

Three persons including the driver of the bus, which was traveling from Dormaa-Ahenkro, sustained serious burns and are currently on admission at the Sunyani Regional Hospital.

The charred bodies have been deposited at the hospital’s mortuary.

The bus and the taxi have been burnt beyond repairs.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Teddy Damptey-Brown, Deputy Regional Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of the Police Service, who confirmed the deaths to the Ghana News Agency, said the deceased are yet to be identified.

He explained that the incident occurred around 1430 hours when the gas-powered taxi travelling to Nsoatre veered off its lane and collided head-on with the bus coming from the opposite direction.

ASP Damptey-Brown said visibility on the road was very poor because of the smoke emitting from the raging bushfire on the sides of the highway. .