3 dead, several others injured in Woadze accident near Kpeve

Peki, Volta Region – By Seth Yeboah, DeStory News

Seventeen people have been rescued, and three confirmed dead, after a commercial Mercedes-Benz bus crashed at Woadze near Kpeve on Friday morning, highlighting renewed concerns over road safety on the busy Kpeve-Asikuma corridor.

The accident occurred around 09:58 when the vehicle, registration GR 8231 C, traveling from Abotuase to Ningo in Greater Accra, veered off the road and sustained severe damage.

Personnel from the Peki Fire Station of the Ghana National Fire Service responded within minutes of receiving the distress call. The crew found the bus mangled, with passengers trapped in the wreckage.

Using hydraulic rescue tools, firefighters extricated 13 adults and 4 children from the vehicle. All 17 survivors were rushed to Kpando Government Hospital and Peki Government Hospital for treatment.

Sadly, three adults — two males and one female — were pronounced dead at the scene. Officers from the Kpando Divisional Command of the Ghana Police Service and ambulance crews from Afadjato and Juapong assisted in the operation. The bodies have been deposited at the hospital morgues for preservation and autopsy as investigations continue.

The Kpeve-Asikuma road has recorded multiple fatal accidents in the past two years. In March 2025, a head-on collision at Kpeve Junction killed four people. Residents blame speeding, poor road markings, and overloaded commercial vehicles for the trend.

“The stretch between Woadze and Kpeve is narrow with sharp bends, and many drivers overtake recklessly,” said a local trader who witnessed Friday’s rescue.

Data from the National Road Safety Authority shows that the Volta Region recorded 38 road traffic deaths between January and April 2026, a 12% increase over the same period in 2025. The Accra-Ho corridor, which includes Kpeve-Asikuma, accounts for nearly 30% of those cases.

Following the rescue, the Ghana National Fire Service urged drivers to observe speed limits and avoid overloading vehicles. “Most of these crashes are preventable. Speeding and fatigue are the main causes we see on this road,” a GNFS officer at the scene told reporters. The Service also advised passengers to speak up when drivers speed or drive recklessly.

Police say investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the crash. Preliminary reports suggest a tire burst and excessive speed may be factors, but officers are awaiting the vehicle’s inspection report.