Seven lives were lost in a multiple-vehicle collision that triggered a fire outbreak at Birimso Bridge on the N6 Accra-Kumasi Highway in the Eastern Region.

The accident involved a fuel tanker, a Mitsubishi Pick-Up with registration number GE 8602-17, a KIA Sorento with registration number GT 8601-14, and an STC bus with registration number GS 7050-22.

A statement issued by the Eastern Regional Fire Command and signed by Divisional Officer Grade III (DOIII) Ohemeng Aaron, Regional Public Relations Officer, said the casualties comprised two females and five males.

According to the statement, the fuel tanker, the STC bus and the Mitsubishi Pick-Up were completely destroyed by the fire, while the KIA Sorento sustained extensive damage.

Firefighters from the Bunso Fire Station, led by Assistant Divisional Officer Grade I (ADOI) Samuel Doe, were dispatched to the scene and worked to contain the blaze. Personnel from the Suhum Municipal Fire Station, under the leadership of ADOI Moses Quaye, provided additional support to bring the fire under control.

The statement said officers from the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service at Kibi also responded to the incident to assist with traffic management and investigations.

The Ghana National Fire Service urged motorists and other road users to cooperate with emergency responders as efforts continued to fully extinguish the fire and secure the accident scene.

The cause of the collision is yet to be established, the statement added.