Fuel tanker overturns and spills content on Tema Motorway

A Man Diesel fuel tanker with registration number GE 4130-20 in the early hours of yesterday, overturned on the Tema-Accra motorway spilling its content on the highway.

The incident which occurred at the East Legon portion of the motorway near the Accra end toll booth around 4:50 am, caused heavy vehicular gridlock between the hours of 5:00 am and 8:30 am until the truck was towed away.

An eyewitness, Mr Issah Bandao, who farms on the side of the motorway where the incident oc­curred, recounted that the tanker fell off the truck when the driver attempted to avoid crushing into a vehicle that crossed it.

He said due to the slippery nature of the road caused by rainfall and night before, the tanker fell in the median of the motorway when the driver applied brake.

The incident, though dangerous, appeared to be a fortune for some individuals as they were seen risking their lives collecting the spilled fuel with gallons.

Confirming the accident, Public Relations Officer of the Tema Regional Fire Com­mand, Assistant Divisional Officer (ADO I) Ebenezer Yenzu told the Ghanaian Times that at about 5:16am, a call was received at the control room reporting an accident on the motorway.

Personnel of the Motorway Fire Station with ADO II Samuel Darko in-charge was dispatched to the scene to manage the spillage that lasted for 4hours 10minutes.

ADO1 Yenzu said the vehicle was transporting diesel from Tema to the Central Region when the accident occurred.

“In order to prevent any sparks that would escalate the situation, the Tema-Accra side of the road was temporarily blocked while foam concentrate was used to blanket the spilling fuel and the valves shut,” he stated.

He said no casualties were re­corded and the tanker was partially damaged and about two-thirds of the fuel in the 45,000 litre tanker was salvaged.

ADO1 Yenzu said the cost of damage was not readily available and the cause of accident under investigation.

He advised the general pub­lic to desist from attempting to siphon fuel from vehicles that were involved in accidents as they may spark fire or cause explosion that could result in their death or be victims of such fatalities.