- A commercial bus traveling from Accra to Sefwi Asawinso caught fire around 7:50 AM on September 18, 2025.
- Passengers reportedly noticed smoke from the back seat and alerted the driver, who allegedly refused to stop.
- The fire was later attributed to a torn fan belt.
- The only functioning fire tender dispatched to the scene broke down en route.
- Western North Fire Commander has called for urgent government support to improve emergency response logistics.
- No fatalities were recorded, but passengers lost personal belongings in the blaze.
A commercial bus en route from Accra to Sefwi Asawinso burst into flames on Thursday morning, leaving passengers scrambling for safety and raising fresh concerns about emergency response infrastructure in the Western North Region.
The vehicle, registered GE-8264-19, reportedly began emitting smoke from the rear seat area around 7:50 AM. Passengers alerted the driver, but he allegedly refused to stop, according to eyewitness accounts. The situation escalated quickly, with flames engulfing the bus before any intervention could be made.
The driver, who declined media interviews, later attributed the fire to a torn fan belt—a mechanical fault that may have gone unnoticed until it was too late.
In a troubling twist, the only operational fire tender dispatched to the scene broke down on its way, leaving responders unable to contain the blaze in time. Western North Regional Fire Commander ACFO Philip Kudzo Amagnoh has since called on the government to urgently equip the region with adequate firefighting logistics, warning that the current state of emergency preparedness is dangerously inadequate.
Though no lives were lost, passengers suffered significant losses, with luggage and personal items destroyed in the fire. The incident adds to a growing list of transport-related fire outbreaks in recent months, including a Metro Mass bus incident involving acid and marijuana.
As investigations continue, the spotlight is once again on Ghana’s transport safety standards and the urgent need to strengthen regional emergency response systems.
