No fewer than 18 persons including pregnant women, were burnt beyond recognition in an auto crash Saturday at Oba-Ile, Akure North area of Ondo state.
The accident occurred at about 3.30 a.m. when a lorry had a head-on collision with a passenger-filled Hummer commercial bus.
The state police image maker, Femi Joseph said that 18 persons died in the crash without any survivor. According to him ” at about 330am on 8/6/19 immediately after the Akure Airport Junction at Oba- ile.
”There occurred a head on collision between one lorry marked GG 873XM LAGOS and 18 passenger vehicle Hummer bus marked NO YLA 25 XU ADAMAWA. ”
The 18 passengers were burnt without a survivor while the lorry driver and his motor boy ran away to an unknown destination.
Joseph attributed the crash to attempt by the lorry driver to dodge a pothole on the highway and it swerved and had a head-on collision with the bus going to Abuja from Lagos.
The lorry was said to be coming from Owo in Ondo state. Police spokesperson said that efforts were on to arrest the fleeing driver of the lorry.
Eyewitness account said that the commercial bus was equally conveying motorcycle engines when the accident occurred. The fire was still on as at the time of filling in this report.
The corpses have been recovered by the police and deposited at the state specialist hospital in Akure. Efforts to speak with the officials of the FRSC proved abortive.
(The Vanguard)
