James Sowole in Abeokuta
No fewer than 11 persons were confirmed dead yesterday in two separate accidents which occurred on two of the federal highways in Ogun State corridors.
While one person died in the first accident that occurred early Wednesday along the Abeokuta – Sango Ota highway, another10 person were burnt beyond recognition when a truck conveying Premium Motor Spirit (PMP), popularly referred to as petroleum exploded along the ever busy Lagos – Ibadan expressway yesterday morning.
The Public Education Officer for Ogun State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Florence Okpe, who confirmed the accident, explained that an IVECO containerised truck with registration numbers LAR 654 YD involved in the first accident, fell on a Peugeot salon car at Itori axis of Ewekoro Local Government Area, killing one man out of the two occupants.
She further stated that the second accident, which occurred between Conoil fueling station and Sagamu interchange corridor of Lagos – Ibadan expressway around few minutes after 2a.m, involved the PMS laden tanker truck which exploded and burnt three other trucks and a commercial bus with all it’s 10 passengers.
The FRSC spokesperson blamed the multiple crash on excessive speed which led to loss of control on the part of the IVECO TRUCK and smash the Tanker body which resulted to fire outbreak due to leakage.
According to Okpe, the charred bodies of the victims have been evacuated to the morgue of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital in Sagamu, while wreckage of the vehicles have also been removed from the expressway to pave way for free flow of traffic.
