Rasaq Ibrahim, Ado Ekiti

TRAGEDY struck in Ara-Ekiti in Ijero Local Government area of Ekiti State as three deaf persons working with the Special School for the Blind and Deaf in Ikoro-Ekiti, have been killed in an auto accident.

The incident, which occurred on Saturday evening, also resulted in 11 occupants of the vehicle sustaining varying degrees of injury.

Eyewitnesses revealed that the accident occurred due to brake failure, which made the vehicle to ram into a ditch and somersaulted.

The occupants of the vehicle numbering 18, who were all staff of the school, were said to be on their way to a burial ceremony at Odo Owa-Ekiti, on the invitation of the principal of the school.

The source said: “Those who sustained severe injuries had been referred to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, while the deceased have been deposited in the morgue of Ijero Ekiti General Hospital”.

The names of the deceased were: Oladiji Bunmi , Yemisi Adelodun and Bosede Azeez.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Office, Ekiti Command, Mr Sunday Abutu, confirmed that the accident was caused by brake failure. He added that the level of fatality reached that level due to inability to get those who could rescue them in time.

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“The accident was a sole one, it involved only one vehicle and the occupants were going for a ceremony. Those wounded are presently being treated in the hospital.

But majority of the survivors sustained minor injuries and they are getting well while the driver is in our custody,” he said.