No fewer than 10 persons lost their lives in a fatal crash on Wednesday along the Rukpokwu-Igwuruta Road in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
An eyewitness said an eight-month-old baby was one of the four occupants of a Toyota Highlander Sport Utility Vehicle, which went up in flames.
The driver of a commercial bus, who did not identify himself, said the driver of the SUV was trying to avoid hitting another vehicle when he lost control and hit a median, resulting in the crash.
He said the vehicle immediately caught fire and burnt occupants of the car.
The Corps Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Rivers State, Salisu Galadunchi, said 10 people died in the incident.
“It happened yesterday (Wednesday) evening. I can confirm that 10 people were involved — five male adults, children, females too. They all died and were taken to the mortuary. The accident happened around 7.15pm.”
Read Also:
In a related development, a commuter, whose name could not be immediately ascertained, was on Thursday crushed to death in a road accident in Erin Oke, Osun State.
Apart from the deceased, six other commuters were also reportedly injured in the accident, which involved two trucks and two buses.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the mangled remains of the deceased and the injured victims were taken to the Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa.
It was gathered that speed limit violation by the vehicles led to the crash.
A spokesperson for the FRSC, Osun State, Agnes Ogungbemi, said the crash occurred along the Ilesa-Akure Expressway around 2.15pm.
Ogungbemi noted that eight people were involved in the accident, adding that while six were injured, one died.
“The accident involved two trucks and two buses. The probable cause is speed limit violation and loss of control.
“The injured victims were taken to Wesley Hospital, Ilesa. The corpse was also taken to the same hospital,” she added.
