Five persons died while 12 others sustained injuries when a truck collided with a mini bus at Waakrom junction near Yamoransa on the Cape Coast–Accra highway on Monday afternoon.

The DAF Truck with registration number AW 9548-13 was loaded with 700 bags of rice when it collided with a Toyota Hiace mini bus with registration number GC 9728-21 and trapping the passengers.

The truck is said to have developed a fault which led to the accident.

The Central Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) ADOIII Abdul Wasui Hudu, explained that the distress call was received at about 2:45 p.m.

The personnel arrived at the accident scene to see the mini bus seriously mangled and some of the victims trapped in it.

He said the GNFS managed to extricate five persons from the mangled vehicle.

Four of the five, he said were pronounced dead at the hospital while one was in critical condition.

He stated that eye witnesses and the community had earlier managed to rescue 12 persons from the scene and taken them to the hospital before the arrival of the GNFS personnel but stated that one out of the 12 was later pronounced dead.

The injured he stated were receiving treatment at the Biriwa Health Centre.

He said the driver and another person in the DAF truck escaped unhurt.

The incident caused heavy traffic on the busy highway as emergency services worked tirelessly to save lives and clear the scene. 

ADOIII Hudu advised motorists plying that stretch to be extra cautious.