Tragedy struck on Monday when a white Toyota Hiace bus caught fire after crashing on a failed section of the Ijebu-Ode/Benin Expressway in Ogun state, resulting in the deaths of at least 18 passengers.
The bus which was reportedly carrying a keg of petrol, ignited after the fuel spilled and came in contact with the vehicle’s exhaust pipe.
Babatunde Akinbiyi, spokesperson for the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, TRACE, disclosed that the keg of petrol fell and leaked onto the bus’s floor when the vehicle hit a damaged portion of the road. This caused a fire to erupt, engulfing the bus in flames.
The driver, who sustained critical injuries, was taken to Rona Hospital for treatment. The bodies of the deceased were deposited at the State Hospital in Ijebu-Ode.
Akinbiyi expressed condolences to the victims’ families and advised against carrying petrol in vehicles due to the significant risks involved.
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In a separate incident later the same day, a Mazda bus with registration No JGB 330 ZT crashed around Ita Osu on the Abeokuta-Siun-Sagamu expressway at about 6:45 p.m. The accident, attributed to excessive speeding and a tyre burst, left seven people injured. The injured individuals were taken to the State Hospital, Ijaye Abeokuta for medical attention.
“While TRACE, FRSC, police, and OGSEAS commiserate with the families of the deceased, motorists are once again admonished not to store fuel in kegs and jerry cans while in transit, due to the attendant consequences,” Akinbiyi added.
Authorities urged drivers to exercise caution and avoid transporting flammable materials to prevent such devastating accidents.
Road crashes have been on the increase in recent times, with majority leading to fatalities.
On Monday, it was reported that no fewer than 36 Muslim worshippers lost their lives in a road accident in Kaduna state.
These events underscore the urgent need for road safety measures and heightened caution to prevent such devastating accidents.
Credible News.ng
