Ghana has recorded its third major fuel tanker accident in just one week, raising urgent concerns about fuel transport safety on the country’s highways.
The latest incident occurred at Mamfe-Amamprobi, where a tanker carrying 27,000 litres of petrol crashed and began leaking dangerously.
Firefighters from the Akropong Municipal Fire Station, led by a seven-member crew, rushed to the scene and successfully averted a major disaster.
The team immediately cooled the tanker and monitored the situation while the fuel was safely offloaded into another vehicle.
The damaged tanker was later towed away. The Eastern Regional Fire Commander, ACFO I Timothy Osafo-Affum, was also present to oversee the operation.
Investigations into the cause of the accident are ongoing.
This follows a near-catastrophe just days earlier at Neefio on the Accra-Kumasi Highway. There, a DAF petrol tanker carrying thousands of litres overturned after a tyre burst, spilling fuel under intense heat.
Thanks to the swift and tactical response by the Suhum Municipal Fire Service, a potential explosion was prevented through the use of foam concentrate and consistent cooling intervals.
In yet another incident earlier in the week, a fuel tanker with registration number GT 6870-24, loaded with 54,000 litres of petrol, was involved in an accident at New Jejeti, also along the Accra-Kumasi stretch.
The alarming frequency of these fuel tanker mishaps has sparked widespread concern, with many calling on regulatory bodies to intensify safety checks, improve driver training, and ensure stricter enforcement of roadworthiness regulations to prevent future tragedies.