Fear gripped residents of Tafo Zongo in Kumasi around 8:15 p.m. on Thursday when a trotro lost its brakes and sped uncontrollably down the steep road from the Tafo Methodist Church toward Zamfara.
People ran for safety as the vehicle picked up speed.
The trotro, with registration number AS 9990-10, crashed straight into the 45 Mosque, slamming into the section where worshippers perform ablution. Part of the mosque was damaged, but no injuries were recorded.
Eyewitnesses described the moment as terrifying. One man who had been lying exactly where the vehicle landed escaped narrowly after people screamed for him to move.
Residents say this is the fifth brake-failure incident on the same stretch. In one previous case, a young boy was knocked down and killed instantly. Many locals say they are tired, frustrated, and living in fear because the situation keeps recurring.
The driver, 25-year-old Amampanah Ayimini, said he had closed for the day and had dropped his conductor near the Methodist Church to buy something. He explained that he was driving down the road to use the washroom when his brakes suddenly failed.
“There is nothing wrong with the car. When it happened, even the gear wasn’t working,” he said.
The old trotro was left badly damaged, with its interior already showing signs of wear before the crash.
Residents insist the road is dangerous due to its steep descent and heavy evening pedestrian activity. They are calling for stronger speed bumps to slow vehicles and prevent further accidents.
“We never knew a car could crash into this place. Luckily, the children had not been dismissed from their evening Islamic studies. It would not have been good news,” a resident said.
More than five hours after the crash, crowds were still at the scene discussing how to prevent another tragedy and protect lives in the community.
