Early morning multiple vehicle accident on Lagos – Ibadan Expressway on Friday has claimed the lives of 17 people with 14 of them burnt beyond recognition.
The fatal crash which occurred at about 05.00a.m by the Isara bridge stretch of the highway, involved two vehicles with registration number ZT728 KLD (Mazda bus) and a nondescript tanker.
The vehicles were said to have had head-on collisions due to reckless driving which in turn triggered a fire explosion that engulfed people in the Mazda bus.
Confirming the multiple crashes, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ogun State Sector Command, said that the Isara Police Division and FOS morgue had been notified ahead of planned evacuation of the dead.
Superintendent Route Commander (SRC) Florence Okpe who is the FRSC Public Education Officer for Sector Commander, Ogun Sector Command, Umar Ahmed, attributed the suspected cause of the accident to route violation and dangerous driving which resulted to head-on on collision and fire outbreak.
“The total number of people involved is not ascertained but a total of 17 bodies (killed) have been identified. One male, a female and a female child only have been identified while others were burnt beyond recognition and no injury sustained.
“A total of two vehicles were involved with registration numbers ZT728 KLD a Mazda bus and an unknown vehicle of unknown make (tanker).
“The suspected causes of the fatal crash were route violation and dangerous driving which resulted to head-on collision and fire outbreak
“The vehicles are partially obstructing the service lane. The Nigeria Police Isara and the FOS Morgue by services, Isara, have been informed. FRSC personnel from Ogere are on the ground managing the situation.
“The Sector Commander FRSC Ogun described the crash as an avoidable one if cautions were put in place and traffic rules and regulations were obeyed.
He commiserated with the family of the crash victims and enjoined them to contact FRSC Ogere for more information about the crash,” she stated.
