Hundreds of commuters travelling from Tema to Accra were left stranded and frustrated on Thursday morning after a passenger train derailed near Avenor when it collided with two stray cattle on the tracks.
The incident happened around 7:30 a.m., shortly after the four-coach train departed Avenor Station heading towards Odaw. What started as a routine morning journey quickly turned chaotic when the train struck the animals, causing parts of the coaches to derail and forcing the trip to an abrupt stop.
Passengers, including workers and traders travelling into Accra, were forced to abandon the train and search for alternative transport as traffic congestion and delays worsened. Although no injuries were reported, many passengers were left shaken by the incident.
The two cattle involved in the collision died instantly.
Witnesses said the animals suddenly wandered onto the tracks, leaving the train operator with little time to avoid the crash. Shortly after the derailment, residents gathered near the scene in shock as emergency responders and railway engineers arrived to assess the situation and begin recovery efforts.
“I have never witnessed anything like this before,” said Alidu Shaibu, who was near the railway tracks when the incident occurred. “The driver did everything possible to control the situation. If he had not reacted quickly, many lives could have been lost,” Alidu Shaibu said.
The eyewitness explained that the train operator managed to slow the train considerably after the collision, helping to avert what could have turned into a major tragedy along one of Accra’s busiest transport routes.
Railway officials later confirmed that the train did not suffer major structural damage despite the incident.
Area Civil Engineer for the Ghana Railway Company Limited, Daniel Asiedu, described the derailment as unfortunate and expressed concern over the growing human and animal activity within railway corridors.
According to him, the train was travelling from Tema to Accra at about 7:40 a.m. when it reportedly struck a large cow on the tracks, leading to the derailment.
Mr Asiedu warned that increasing encroachment on railway lands and the uncontrolled movement of animals along the tracks continue to pose serious risks to public safety and rail operations.
He said additional security support may be needed to remove illegal activities and prevent further damage to railway infrastructure.
Technical officers and engineers were quickly dispatched to the scene to begin emergency repairs, with authorities hopeful that train services would be restored before the end of the day.
“We are working to restore operations immediately, and by this evening the train should be running between Accra and Tema again,” Mr Asiedu said.
As of Thursday afternoon, no one had stepped forward to claim ownership of the cattle involved in the incident, while investigations remained ongoing.
For the many commuters left stranded in the heat and forced to return to Accra’s heavily congested roads, the derailment was more than just a transport interruption. It highlighted ongoing concerns about railway safety and the increasing risks caused by uncontrolled human and animal activity along Ghana’s rail corridors.