World | Other World Stories
Ghana fuel tanker fire kills more than 20
More than 20 people were killed and many others seriously injured when a tanker truck carrying fuel caught fire after it crashed in western Ghana on Wednesday, police and an eyewitness said.
- Agencies
- Published: 18:05 November 26, 2008
Accra: More than 20 people were killed and many others seriously injured when a tanker truck carrying fuel caught fire after it crashed in western Ghana on Wednesday, police and an eyewitness said.
The tanker crashed near the town of Tanoso, some 240 km from the capital Accra and close to Ghana's border with Ivory Coast. The vehicle exploded in flames as local people were collecting spilled petrol.
"At least 23 residents of Tanoso were burned beyond recognition when the tanker from which they were scooping fuel caught fire," eyewitness Kofi Lawson said.
"I counted at least 23 bodies that were burned to ashes," he said, speaking by phone from the crash site.
Police said they counted at least 21 bodies, and that more than 20 had been taken to hospital, some in a critical condition.
"On hearing the crash, the residents rushed to the scene and started siphoning the fuel off the tanker while others used bowls, buckets, enamelware - anything they could lay hands on - to scoop the fuel that was pouring out and unfortunately, there was a fire and an explosion and many of them got burnt," said Superintendent Solomon Nim.
Many West Africans have been killed attempting to salvage leaking fuel from crash sites. In August, at least 10 people died in Cameroon as they collected petrol from an overturned tanker which exploded. In September, a similar accident in Central African Republic killed 15.
Share this article
News Editor's choice
-
A year after 173 defenceless people were killed
Mumbai itself is far from safe from another deadly attack, even though the level of security consciousness of the average Mumbaikar has been raised since 26/11
-
Nato supports Obama's plea
European and other allies to send around 6,000 troops to Afghanistan
-
Official confirms mayor is the suspect
Many witnesses have come forward, justice secretary says
-
Into an oasis of values
A place to snuggle in the warmth of old manners away from the bustle of city life
