Tragedy at Airport Junction: Six-year-old girl dies after tipper truck rams school bus

A tragic road accident at the busy Airport Junction on the Accra Mall–Dzorwulu stretch has claimed the life of a six-year-old pupil, just hours after she was rushed to the hospital with critical injuries.

The young girl, whose identity has not yet been released to the public, succumbed to her injuries at approximately 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 30, while receiving emergency care at the Police Hospital in Accra. She had been trapped in the wreckage and sustained severe trauma during the collision, which occurred in the early afternoon.

The incident unfolded at about 2:00 p.m. when a tipper truck bearing registration number GN 9673-25 reportedly lost control and rammed into a school bus belonging to Ask God Preparatory School, based in Ashaiman. The impact was severe, crumpling the side of the bus and leaving multiple children trapped inside.

Emergency responders from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) and the National Ambulance Service were swiftly deployed to the scene. Assistant Divisional Officer I (ADO I) King Alex Nartey of the GNFS confirmed to Citi News that rescue teams worked feverishly to extricate the victims from the mangled vehicle before conveying them to various health facilities across the capital.

While the death of the six-year-old has brought the tragedy into sharp focus, several other children injured in the crash remain under medical observation. Their conditions have not been detailed, but authorities have assured the public that they are receiving the necessary care.

The Airport Junction, a critical thoroughfare connecting the Accra Mall area to Dzorwulu, is notoriously prone to heavy traffic congestion and safety lapses, particularly during the midday rush. Thursday’s incident has once again reignited concerns over the safety of school transport vehicles and the enforcement of road traffic regulations in the capital.

As of Friday morning, the scene of the crash had been cleared, but the Ghana Police Service has launched a full-scale investigation into the circumstances leading up to the collision. Preliminary inquiries are expected to focus on the mechanical state of the tipper truck, the driver’s conduct, and whether speed or negligence played a role.

In the wake of the fatality, calls are growing from safety advocates and concerned parents for the authorities to intensify road safety audits around school routes and to ensure that heavy-duty vehicles are strictly regulated during school pickup and drop-off hours.

The school, Ask God Preparatory, has yet to issue an official statement, but the community in Ashaiman and beyond is mourning the loss of the young pupil.

---