Bus crash in western Cameroon kills more than 50 passengers

YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — At least 53 people have died and 21 others were injured in Cameroon when a bus collided with a truck early Wednesday in a village in the western part of the country, officials said.

The accident occured in Santchou village and survivors were rushed to hospitals in the western towns of Dschang and Bafoussam, Awa Fonka Augustine, the governor of the West Region of Cameroon, confirmed.

“A speeding truck illegally transporting fuel ran into the 70-seat bus transporting passengers from the coastal commercial city of Douala to Bafoussam, the capital of Cameroon’s West region,” he said. "A collision between the truck and the bus sparked uncontrollable fire which ravaged the truck, the bus and its occupants.”

The truck driver, however, escaped after the crash and Augustine has called for his arrest.

Hundreds of people are rushing to Santchou to see if their relatives are dead or alive.

“It is impossible to identify any of the corpses I have seen. They are burned beyond recognition,” said 54-year-old businessman Honore Nzali who is searching for his brother.

Road accidents are common in Cameroon. The government blames reckless drivers and the poor state of vehicles, while drivers blame the bad conditions of the roads.

In December, 37 people died and 18 others were seriously injured in an accident in the western village of Makenene.