The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) reports that eighteen individuals have sadly died in a traffic accident near the Ogbere axis of the Benin-Sagamu motorway, Ogun State.
The TRACE spokeswoman, Babatunde Akinbiyi, verified in a statement that the accident involved a Toyota Hiace (XA 690 AKU) that collided with a deteriorating portion of the road.
Motor spirit (PMS) that was kept in a jerrycan inside the car caught fire as a result of the impact. There was only one survivor and the victims were apparently burned beyond recognition.
“A jerrycan full of PMS fell over when the bus hit a bad section of the road, as confirmed by witnesses and the driver,” Akinbiyi said. “The vehicle caught fire while in transit due to fuel spilling onto the bus floor and igniting after coming into contact with the exhaust pipe.”
The driver of the car, who was hurt and only partially burned, was pulled out of the wreckage and sent to Rona Hospital in Ijebu Ode for medical attention. The deceased’s remains were transported to the State Hospital Mortuary located in Ijebu.
In order to avert such preventable tragedies, Akinbiyi asked drivers to refrain from storing fuel in kegs and offered sincere condolences to the families of the departed.
This terrible event happened not long after TRACE announced that four people died in traffic accidents in Abeokuta last month. Additionally, a different road tragedy in Kaduna state on Monday claimed the lives of thirty-six Muslim worshippers.