Brake failure sparks major collision at Kumasi roundabout; five hospitalised

Five people, including security personnel, sustained critical injuries after a Kia Rhino truck laden with plantains collided with a commercial passenger vehicle at the Asafo Labour Roundabout in Kumasi on Monday morning. Emergency services rushed the victims to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), where they are currently receiving medical care.

According to preliminary investigations, the heavily-loaded truck was travelling from the Amakom direction when it experienced brake failure whilst approaching the bustling roundabout. The driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a commercial minibus heading from the Kejetia direction. The impact left the passenger vehicle extensively damaged, with occupants trapped inside the wreckage.

Quick thinking prevented worse tragedy

Eyewitness Yaw Gabriel credited the truck driver's steering intervention with preventing a far more catastrophic outcome. "If the truck had continued straight, it would have been a completely different situation because there was heavy traffic ahead. It could have crashed into several vehicles and caused multiple deaths," he said. Another witness described the harrowing rescue operation, noting that emergency responders and bystanders had to cut through the driver's side of the damaged vehicle to extract trapped occupants.

The Manhyia Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) Commander, DSP Docars Kyei Mensah, confirmed that the commercial vehicle driver was initially in critical condition but is now responding to treatment. "We are currently gathering information to establish the cause of this road crash at the Labour Roundabout," he stated. MTTD personnel managed traffic flow during the rescue operation and supervised removal of the damaged vehicles, which temporarily congested the area.

Community rallies to assist victims

When traders from Aboabo Market learned that some of the injured were fellow marketers returning from Asante Akyem with a plantain consignment, several women converged at the scene to offer support. They helped collect the scattered plantain cargo and identified their colleagues among the hospitalised victims, demonstrating the tight-knit nature of Kumasi's trading community during the emergency.

Why it matters for Ghana

This accident underscores persistent concerns about road safety in Ghana, particularly regarding commercial vehicles operating in high-traffic urban areas. The Asafo Labour Roundabout is a critical junction in Kumasi, one of Ghana's largest cities, and serves thousands of commuters and traders daily. Brake failure incidents highlight the importance of regular vehicle maintenance and roadworthiness checks—problems that affect both commercial and passenger transport sectors across the country.

The swift community response and effective collaboration between residents, traders and emergency services provides a positive example of disaster management, though it also reveals ongoing gaps in vehicle safety standards. Ghana Police Service investigations into such incidents are crucial for identifying systemic issues and informing policy improvements. With road accidents claiming hundreds of lives annually in Ghana, incidents like this at major roundabouts serve as reminders of the need for stricter vehicle inspection regimes, driver training standards, and traffic management infrastructure investments in urban centres.