Three schoolchildren have died after a commercial bus caught fire in Huu in the Amansie Central district of the Ashanti Region.
Another child who suffered severe burns in Tuesday’s fire, which destroyed the bus, is at a local health facility receiving treatment.
The children were pupils of the Beginners Educational Complex in the Amansie Central District. They had to be driven home in a commercial vehicle after their school bus developed a fault in the middle of the Edwenase-Huu road.
An eyewitness said the commercial vehicle suddenly burst into flames, trapping all the passengers. However, some escaped unhurt.
“They were six in number. Their school bus had developed a fault and so their driver had to transfer them to this commercial vehicle which was heading to the same destination. The bus caught fire shortly after it sped off.
“There were fuel products and gas cylinders. At a point, the rescue mission was impeded due to the intensity of the blaze. There was an explosion at some point. We were helpless,” the eyewitness said.
At least, three motorbikes, a mobile money container and a power line burned, plunging almost the entire enclave into darkness.
The charred bodies of the victims have been deposited at the morgue.
Residents and family members are still in shock. The development has sparked renewed calls on the government to improve network connectivity in the enclave to help deal with such emergency situations.
The police have opened an investigation into the incident.
Reporting by Jonathan Ofori in the Ashanti Region
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