Accident claims four lives on Benin-Lagos highway
An unidentified female passer-by was burnt to death yesterday in Ogun State when a truck conveying Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) ran into a road median and burst into flames.
The female pedestrian was said to by passing when the fuel spilled on the road with the surrounding areas catching fire immediately. Huge balls of flame instantly encircled her as eyewitnesses said no one could brace the raging fire to rescue her.
Two vehicles were also burnt in the inferno. The accident, which occurred at the Lotto corridor of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, involved a MAN diesel loaded with food stuff, commercial Mazda bus and DAF truck loaded with PMS. According to an eyewitness, a PMS-laden truck lost control on motion and hit the barrier with the content catching fire afterwards.
The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed the accident. He attributed the cause to “loss of control” on the part of the truck driver.
Akinbiyi said the charred body of the lady was taken to the Fakoya morgue in Sagamu, Ogun State, while the fuel truck had also been taken off the road to ease traffic flow.
Meanwhile, four persons at the weekend died while three others sustained grave injuries in a multiple accident that occurred on the Benin-Lagos highway. It was gathered that the accident occurred at the Ovia river bridge axis on the expressway involving two trucks and two other small vehicles .
According to eyewitnesses, one of the trucks that was on top speed lost control and rammed into other vehicles, killing four persons on the spot and injuring three others.
The Edo State commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Henry Benamaisia, who confirmed the incident, said four vehicles and seven person were involved in the accident. He said three persons died on the spot while one later died at the hospital where the injured ones were taken to for treatment.
The Sector Commander attributed the accident to over-speeding and dangerous driving, noting that most of the accidents on the road these days were as a result of over-speeding on the part of the drivers. Benamaisia, however, warned motorists to take precautions and maintain safe driving within the speed limit as they are driving for themselves and other road users.
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