Posted by By Kayode Matthew and Chinwe Agha on
TRAGEDY struck yesterday morning along Benin/Asaba highway when five people including three children from the same parents travelling from Benin to the eastern part of the country to spend their holidays were burnt to death in a ghastly motor accident.
ASABA - TRAGEDY struck yesterday morning along Benin/Asaba highway when five people including three children from the same parents travelling from Benin to the eastern part of the country to spend their holidays were burnt to death in a ghastly motor accident.
Apart from the three kids, whose father managed to escape two other persons were equally roasted to death, while no fewer than 10 others have been hospitalized as a result of severe burns.
The accident, which took place, few metres to the Asaba Niger Bridge head involved an 18-seater passenger bus belonging to Glory Motors with registration number AA717 SAP travelling from Benin City in Edo State to Onitsha and another bus, which was carrying fuel.
An witness account stated that the other bus loaded fuel in jerry cans from Asaba and was equally heading to Ontisha when the Benin bus, said to be on a very top speed hit it from behind while it (bus with fuel) attempted to make a U-turn.
According to the witness, "immediately, the commercial vehicle hit the vehicle carrying fuel, from the rear both were engulfed with fire which made rescue operations difficult until men of the Delta State Fire Service ran to the scene to put out the fire. Before they could put out the fire the two buses had burnt to ashes.
When Vanguard visited the scene men of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) led by the Delta State Sector Commander Mr. Sunday Maku were seen carrying out rescue operations as well as ensuring that traffic was not disrupted.
There were ten survivors including the father of the three kids that were burnt to ashes. One of the survivors, Levi Jideofor, residing at No 36 Uwelu Road, Benin City said that he joined the bus from Benin along with others.
Speaking, the FRSC boss, Mr. Maku said, "four died. These two and the two that were burnt to ashes. We could not even carry the ashes (pointing to the scene) while the other survivors, who suffered severe injuries were taken to the hospital".
"We (FRSC) got here to meet two vehicle burning as a result of collision and it must have been as a result of over speeding and we are making arrangement for a mass burial for these (the dead ones.). I have sent for the police, I have sent for the state welfare office. Their men are here and then we are making arrangement", he stated. The ten survivors with varying degrees of burns were taken to Okwe General Hospital; Federal Medical Centre, and St. Rebecca''s Clinic Asaba, where doctors were seen battling to save their lives.