Kwara: Pregnant woman, eight others burnt to death in auto crash
By Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin.
Nine people, including a pregnant woman, have been reported burnt to death in an auto crash involving a Toyota Hiace Bus with registration number AFN 06 YL and a Toyota corolla saloon car marked LRN 787 FE in front of the Ilorin International Airport along Ilorin-Eyenkorin expressway.
It was gathered that the fatal accident, which occurred at about 8:00 am on Sunday, involved a commercial passenger bus heading towards Lagos and a private Toyota saloon car that was coming out of the airport.
One of the vehicles involved in the crash was said to have carried petrol-filled kegs.
An eye witness account said: “The Toyota saloon car was driving out of the Airport, while the Lagos bound Hiace Bus was on top speed along the expressway. The Bus collided with the car, resulting in loss of control and the bus went up in flames immediately.
“A total of nine people comprising eight Women and one man got burnt beyond recognition, while five men sustained various degrees of injuries and are currently receiving treatment at the Ilorin General Hospital. Three men inside the saloon car escaped uninjured. The burnt victims have been deposited at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital.”
Reacting, the state Sector Commander of the FRSC, Jonathan Owoade, confirmed the incident which he described as quite unfortunate. He opined that the crash was avoidable, warning motorists against reckless driving and avoiding keeping PMS inside jerricans while on a journey. He appreciated the Kwara state ambulance services for the release of ambulances as back up.
A total number of 20 people including eight males and 12 females, he said, were involved in the crash, while one male and eight females were reported dead.
The private vehicle that was coming out of the airport reportedly failed to wait for the over speeding oncoming passenger bus to pass, resulting in a deadly head-on collision by the two vehicles.
“A car coming out of the airport ran across the road, thinking it could cross the road before the bus got to it. Incidentally, it was said that it was carrying fuel. I would surely get back to you with details, including registration numbers of the vehicles”, he said.
The Sector Commander also said that the injured persons had been taken to the state general hospital, Ilorin by passersby before his men arrived at the scene of the crash, adding that the deceased were taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) mortuary, Oke Oyi by the FRSC rescue and patrol teams.