A school pupil was killed and two classmates seriously injured on Tuesday afternoon when a heavy-duty truck loaded with lumber lost control and spilled its cargo onto the Bechem-Kumasi highway at Aburaso, trapping the children beneath the fallen timber.
The incident occurred around 2:00 p.m., according to eyewitnesses and the Ghana News Agency (GNA). The truck, registered GE 9901-11, was traveling toward Kumasi when the driver reportedly lost control on a curve, causing the unsecured lumber to dislodge and crush the pupils who were walking home from school.
Local residents quickly mobilized to lift the heavy logs and free the victims. The deceased pupil, whose identity has not yet been released, was pronounced dead at the scene. The two surviving children, both in critical condition, were rushed to a nearby health facility for emergency treatment.
The truck driver and his mate fled the scene unharmed, prompting a police investigation. The vehicle remains at the site, blocking the Aburaso stretch of the highway and causing significant traffic congestion in both directions.
The Tano South District Police Command has launched a search for the driver while coordinating with the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) to reconstruct the accident. Initial reports suggest overloading and improper cargo securing may have contributed to the crash.
Community members expressed grief and anger, with one resident telling GNA: “These children were just coming from school. This road is a death trap.” The headteacher of the victims’ school has called for urgent government intervention to improve road safety along the corridor.
The accident adds to a grim 2025 road safety record, with over 1,800 fatalities nationwide so far, according to provisional National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) data.
