6 Killed in Gory Crashes

Five persons died yesterday after their vehicle had rammed into a container that had fallen off a truck at Teacher Mante on the Suhum- Nsawam road in the Eastern Region.

The truck was reportedly heading to Accra at about 4 am yesterday when it tipped over and the container loaded with milled wood boards fell, spilling its cargo on the road.

The accident involving a Toyota Landcruiser and a truck happened Saturday night when the truck driver attempted to avoid a head-on collision with another vehicle which was overtaking other vehicles rammed into the land cruiser.

In the event, the container fell off the truck onto the road blocking half of it.

The Head of the Rescue and Operations Team of NADMO in Ayensuano District, Mr Meshack  Kojo Mintah is reported to have said that his team and the Police rushed to the scene to remove the container which had blocked half of the road.

He said the police failed to remove the container because they could not afford a GH¢1,500. fee that was demanded by the car towing services.

The police then decided to stay at the accident scene to direct traffic until they got exhausted around 9pm and left the scene.

But unknown of the danger ahead of him, the driver of a speeding Toyota Hiace passenger vehicle crashed into the abandoned container, killing five persons on the spot while several other sustained injuries.

The body of the deceased have been conveyed to the morgue.

In a related development, a soldier has also been confirmed dead and several others in critical condition after a military vehicle carrying soldiers on a mission was hit by a commercial truck loaded with food stuff at Pong-Tamale on the Tamale – Bolga expressway in the Northern region.

Spokesperson for the Ghana Armed Forces in the region, Captain N. Asamoah confirmed the fatal crash, explaining that the soldiers were deployed as reinforcement to Bawku in the Upper East region to maintain order as preparations were underway for the celebration of the Damba Festival by chiefs and people of the war-torn community.

The soldiers from the Bawah Barracks were then on their way on the official duty when the truck No. ER 1594- C loaded with food stuff from Walewale veered off and plunged into the military vehicle which was carrying the soldiers.

The soldiers aboard the military vehicle with registration 47 GA were WO II Anokye Jackson, I/c Cpl. Fletcher, L /Cpl. E. Amoako, L/ Cpl. Sackitey Evans, L/Cpl.Kyeremeh Joseph, L/Cpl. Obeng Addo, Pte. Ngissah Richard, Pte. Adika Blessing, Pte. Ntim Joseph including the driver L/ Cpl. Ibrahim Alhassan.

All the soldiers including the suspected driver were initially found with various degrees of injury and were sent to the Savelugu Municipal Hospital, however, one of the officers died enroute.

They were referred to the Tamale Teaching Hospital where they are currently receiving treatment and the body of the deceased kept at the facility for autopsy.

Captain Asamoah said the injured officers are expected to be airlifted to the Military Hospital in Accra for further treatment.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation while the family of the deceased are yet to be informed.

By: thePublisher