Police and emergency services are continuing investigations into a fatal fuel tanker crash that occurred in the early hours of Saturday, February 14, 2026, on the Accra–Suhum Highway near Nsawam. The tragic incident has claimed multiple lives, injured others, and reignited urgent calls for strengthened road safety compliance on Ghana’s highways.
According to a statement from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), a petrol tanker carrying an estimated 54,000 litres of fuel lost control and caught fire near Okanta, off the Nsawam–Accra stretch at about 4:45 a.m.
The resulting blaze rapidly engulfed the tanker, a VIP bus, three cars, four motorcycles and other vehicles, causing catastrophic damage. Fire crews worked for several hours to bring the inferno under control, with reinforcement teams called in from Suhum and Bunso stations.
In a press release, the GNFS confirmed that six people have died — three at the scene and three others who later succumbed to their injuries at the Koforidua Regional Hospital. At least seven others are receiving treatment for burns and injuries, with several more initially treated and discharged by medical teams.
Preliminary findings suggest that sparks may have ignited petrol vapours when some individuals attempted to breach the tanker to siphon fuel — a hazardous practice often undertaken despite repeated public warnings.
The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has underscored the need for stringent vehicle inspection and maintenance regimes, enhanced driver competency standards, stricter compliance with hazardous goods transport regulations, and improved emergency preparedness and response systems in the haulage industry.
Civil society group Green Tax Youth Africa (GTYA) has also called for urgent road safety and infrastructure reforms, urging authorities to address systemic weaknesses identified in the wake of the tragedy.
The Nsawam incident comes amid concerns over frequent fuel tanker accidents on major routes, leading to devastating loss of life and property when safety regulations are not rigorously enforced and observed.
