A Benz cargo truck loaded with more than 2,500 bags of rice was gutted by fire on the Adugyama–Bechem highway near the Star Oil Filling Station at Adugyama in the Ashanti Region.
The truck, with registration number GT-1350-U, was transporting the rice from Côte d’Ivoire to Kumasi when the incident occurred in the early hours of Monday.
Officials of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) at Tepa confirmed receiving a distress call at 4:53 a.m. A team of five firefighters, led by ADOII Heneampong Williams, was immediately dispatched to the scene.
The crew arrived at 5:40 a.m. and battled the blaze for nearly three hours. The fire was eventually brought under control at 6:40 a.m. and completely extinguished by 8:13 a.m.
Despite the extensive damage to the truck, firefighters managed to salvage more than 600 bags of rice.
The driver’s mate sustained minor injuries during the incident.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, but the GNFS says investigations are ongoing.
