Femi Ogbonnikan in Abeokuta
At least, seven persons were on Tuesday roasted, while one other was injured in a multiple road mishap involving three vehicles in a part of Ogun State.
The auto crash occurred at about 11:25a.m. at a border village, Alapako/Ogunmakin, sharing common border with Oyo State.
It was gathered that trouble began yesterday morning when three vehicles-a black colour Toyota Yaris Saloon Car, with registration number MUS 46 EA, an unmarked Mack truck and another unmarked DAF truck-attempted to overtake each other at a narrow end section of the road where traffic is being diverted to enable officials of the contracting firm, RCC, that were carrying out rehabilitation works on the weak bridges between Fidiwo and Sandcreate, around Ogunmakin/Alapako village during which the vehicles went up in flames and roasted seven persons instantly.
It was learnt that out of the 12 persons onboard the three vehicles, seven persons were burnt beyond recognition instantly, while one person sustained injury.
The spokesman of the Ogun State Sector Command of the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC), Mrs Florence Ekpe, who confirmed the gory incident, disclosed that his operatives ably assisted by officials of the other traffic and emergency agencies had removed the burnt corpses of the crash victims and deposited their remains at FON Mortuary, in Ipara, in Remo North Local Government Area of Ogun State.
“It should be noted that traffic advisory was earlier issued by the FRSC on the condition of the section of the road and it was tagged as a “black spotâ€, warning motorists to drive with caution around the area.
When traffic at the portion of the road was to be diverted, the FRSC issued a traffic advisory on 13 December 2017 with traffic signs erected by RCC to caution motorists.
“However, despite the warning road sign, a crash still occurred on January 9, 2018 at the section of the road, killing ten people when a Dangote truck had a head-on collision with a passenger bus, thus killing the 10 passengers except the two drivers.
“The Ogun State Sector Commander, Mr. Clement Oladele, had in company of the Federal Controller of Works, Ogun State Popoola met with the leadership of RCC on January 16, 2018, to discuss further safety measures to be put in place by the construction company, as well as to intensify patrol by the FRSC around this black spot, to prevent crashes.
“The sector commander hereby reiterates the need for motorists to exercise caution and obey the traffic signs erected on this segment of the road which may remain till June 2018 before the repairs is completed and the road open to traffic. Travellers are also advised to refrain from travelling inside containers as the seven burnt victims were travelling inside the container of the truck which caused the crash as it embarked on a dangerous overtaking at the portion where traffic was diverted before it collided with oncoming vehicles,†stated Okpe.
