[Update] One dead following accident involving fuel tanker at Ajumako Duayaw

Fuel is gushing out from a fuel tanker involved in an accident at Ajumako Duayaw in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District of the Central Region. Motorists to and from Ajumako Duayaw and its environs were turned away for their safety. Students, workers, residents, among other road users, were prevented from moving in and around until a recovery truck arrived from Cape Coast. Fire personnel told Onua FM’s Yen Sempa on Wednesday that they have requested a fire hydrant truck from the regional capital, Cape Coast, to enable the fuel tanker to be pulled off the road. Traffic situation was hectic as those using the road to and from Accra were diverted while those who could not be diverted due to where they were going were asked to park for their safety. Fire personnel at the scene say they have cordoned off the area of the accident to ensure residents are not affected in case of an explosion. The fuel tanker is said to be from Accra going to discharge fuel to Nasona fuel station at Nkwantanum. The Acting District Fire Commander for the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District, Augustine Cudjoe, said the accident occurred around 7:47am. He said the fuel truck with a registration number GT 9835 N collided with a taxi cab with registration number GW 7647-12 on a curve at Ajumako Duayaw. Fire Commander Augustine Cudjoe said “on reaching a hill which is also a curve, the truck driver lost control and in the middle of the curve, the taxi cab collided with the tanker”. Mr. Cudjoe noted that “the driver died on the spot” while his taxi was mangled, leading to the spillage of the fuel. “Police are at the scene to help us control the crowd. We have blocked the road and we have called for a recovery truck from Cape Coast and the fuel is gushing out”. He explained that they sprayed the tanker with a foam cooler for fuel flow to minimize before the recovery truck comes. “We are preventing them from getting closer to the tanker. The police are also here to keep the crowd away. No car is moving and some don’t understand why we are preventing them. School children have also been stopped”. Traffic management Mr. Cudjoe said some drivers have been diverted to use other auxiliary roads while those who cannot be diverted have been asked to park their vehicles until they are done. “Those who were diverted were to use other auxiliary road. Others who cannot be diverted have been asked to park. People are also using footpaths to cross and join the other vehicles on the other side of the village. It has slowed those going to work and those going to school”. By Kweku Antiw-Otoo|editors.3news.com|Ghana