Black Sunday:11 burnt to death along Benin-Shagamu road, 9 dead, 4 rescued as container falls on bus in Lagos

.FRSC seeks justice for victims of auto crashes

IBRAHIM QUADRI

No fewer than 11 people have lost their lives in a road accident that occurred in Ore town along the Benin-Shagamu Expressway in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Sunday morning.

It was gathered that the accident involved a Marcopolo bus and a truck. The victims were said to have burnt beyond recognition as the vehicles involved caught fire.

The Ondo Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr Ezekiel Son’Allah, confirmed the deadly incident.

He said the accident occurred as a result of excessive speeding on the part the drivers of the vehicles involved.

Also, Tragedy struck again at Ojuelegba Bridge  opposite Federal Fire Station, Lagos when a 20ft container fell on a commercial bus killing nine passengers instantly.

Daily Champion learnt that the container truck fell while the commercial bus was picking passengers.

Those that lost their lives were four adult males, three adult females, a boy and a girl. Only one person was rescued alive as of the time of filing this report.

In a statement issued by the PS Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu noted that having concluded rescue operation, the police would carry out further investigation.

The statement partly read, “Upon arrival at the scene, a truck conveying a 20ft container was found to have landed on top of a commercial bus.

“Further investigations revealed that the bus was picking up passengers when the truck lost control and fell over the side of the bridge.

“After suspending the container load with the aid of the Agency’s forklift and cutting off the top of the bus with light rescue equipment, a single adult woman was extricated alive and taken to the trauma centre.

“The Agency’s heavy duty Goliath and teams from Onipan and Cappa are on ground. The Agency’s Ambulance, LASG FIRE, FED FIRE, LASTMA and Nigeria Police have been working on this situation which is now concluded.

“Further investigation to be carried out by the Nigeria Police on the removal of the barriers on the bridge aimed at preventing trucks from ascending.”