A massive fireball and thick plumes of smoke have engulfed a fuel tanker following an explosion on Tuesday morning near a local eatery at Potsin Junction on the Kasoa–Winneba road in the Central Region.
According to Primemax TV correspondent Ruben Lartey, the intensity of the blaze has made it impossible for anyone to get close to the scene. He also reports that fire tenders from nearby stations are currently out of service, hampering efforts to contain the inferno.
It remains unclear whether the eatery was occupied at the time of the explosion. However, the fire has completely destroyed the structure along with two other nearby buildings.
The incident occurred at dawn, around 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, with no fatalities reported.
The tanker driver is believed to have escaped moments before the explosion.
Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service have since been deployed to the scene to contain the fire, although official details are still pending.
The tanker was reportedly en route from Accra to the Central Region when the accident happened.
Preliminary information indicates that the vehicle struck a section of the road under construction, lost control, and overturned, which subsequently triggered the explosion.
An eyewitness also recounted how local youth initially stepped in to help manage the situation before fire service personnel arrived.
“I quickly mobilised some of the young men to block vehicles travelling from Accra towards Winneba,” he said. “After that, we alerted the fire service. When we contacted the Buduburam Fire Station, they informed us their fire tender was faulty, so they reached out to other stations for assistance.”
He added that a similar response came from the Winneba Fire Station.
“They also indicated that their fire tender was not in working condition, so they contacted Apam. The Apam team was the first to arrive, before personnel from Kasoa later joined,” he explained. “At the moment, the fire has been brought under control, but significant damage has already been done.”—
He expressed deep concern over the apparent lack of emergency preparedness, stating, “These are critical situations, so being told there is no equipment when incidents are reported is very worrying.”
Another resident also recounted how the incident unfolded.
“I was in my chop bar when an articulated truck passed by and suddenly overturned. At first, I didn’t think it was anything serious, so I went back inside. Moments later, a fire broke out, followed by an explosion,” the resident said.
The resident added that the destruction has been devastating. “Everything has been burnt. The house we live in has been affected — our food, soup, and belongings are all gone. We are appealing to NADMO to come to our aid.”
A third eyewitness offered insight into the possible cause of the accident.
“At around 5:30 p.m., the articulated truck attempted to park on the opposite side of the road. Due to the poor condition of the road, it became unstable, causing the tanker to tilt and eventually overturn,” he explained.
He continued, “The driver and his mate quickly jumped out and ran for safety. Moments later, the tanker exploded. We had to rush from house to house, knocking on doors to warn residents to evacuate.”
He noted that the extent of the damage could have been far worse without the swift response of local residents.
“The fire destroyed several properties, including homes, a chop bar, and other structures. At the time, the fire service had not yet arrived, so the youth used sand and water to contain the flames. Otherwise, even the nearby cold store would have been consumed,” he added.
Residents are now calling for urgent assistance, as well as improved emergency response measures to help prevent similar incidents in the future.
