No fewer than six persons were feared
dead in a multiple crash on Thursday in Awka, the Anambra State capital,
after a tanker conveying petrol rammed into four vehicles.
The incident occurred around the Esther Obiakor Estate junction on the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway at about 6pm.
Though the casualty figure could not be
officially ascertained at the time of filing the report, a security
agent, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that
no fewer than six persons lost their lives in the crash.
He said, “The people that died in the
accident cannot be less than six. But rescue effort is still ongoing, so
the figure cannot be officially confirmed. If you give us more time, we
will give you the actual figure.
“We have also rescued some people and we are rushing them to a hospital because they were injured.”
The Anambra State Fire Service, the
Federal Road Safety Corps, the police and some sympathisers were seen
trying to help in the rescue effort at the scene of the accident.
Other vehicles involved in the accident are a tipper, two buses, a car with number plate, YA262ENU, and a motorcycle.
A firefighter, Uchechukwu Samuel, said he and his colleague arrived at the scene immediately they were contacted.
He said the situation had been put under control.
Nnanna Kanu, a Superintendent of Police, attributed the crash to a brake failure.
He said “It was a case of brake failure on the side of the tanker.”
Mr. Okoli Chinedu of the FRSC said the
tanker was descending the road from the Onitsha end of the expressway
inward the Enugu area when the accident occurred.
