A total of sixteen (16) persons lost their lives while three others sustained live-threatening injuries in a lone accident which occurred on Tuesday afternoon along the Sagamu – Abeokuta Expressway in Ogun State.
The accident happened around 1p.m. at the Mohammad Buhari Estate axis of Kobape Village of Obafemi – Owode local government area, involving a fully-loaded white Mazda commercial bus with registration number LAGOS: KJA 949 YJ conveying passengers to Sango – Ota from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Public Education Officer of the Ogun Sector of the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC), Chief Route Commander Florence Okpe confirmed the accident.
She explained that the Sector Commander, Corps Commander Akinwumi Fasakin personally led the rescue team to the accident scene, only to discover that genders of the victims could not be ascertained “because they were burnt beyond recognition”.
Okpe further explained that the ill-fated bus suddenly exploded possibly triggered by a filled-gas cylinder that was among the luggages being conveyed to their final destination in Sango – Ota, in the Ado – Odo/Ota local government area of Ogun State.
“The suspected cause of the crash was fire outbreak in the vehicle that was also having a filled gas cylinder in it, which led to the explosion.
“The injured victims were taken to Federal Medical Centre, Idi Aba, Abeokuta while the corpses are still at the scene waiting for evacuation,” she said.
Okpe added that the Sector Commander was displeased with the incident “because of the carelessness on the part of the driver”.
“The driver should have objected to carrying a cylinder filled with gas because a highly flammable items should be transported with care and by designated vehicles driven by trained drivers only,” the sector commander noted.
