15 Die In Oyo State Motor Accident

SADNESS punctuated the joy associated with a  new year as 15 persons died in a multiple auto crash on Ogbomoso-Oyo-Ibadan road yesterday.

The sad incident happened when an 18-seater passenger  bus  collided with a fuel tanker.

The bus was said to be coming from Ilorin and heading to Ogbomoso when it crashed at a sharp bend on Odo- Oba village about five kilometres to Ogbomoso.

According to an eye witness account, the collision resulted into explosion.

It was gathered that the commercial driver lost control of the bus and its passengers were flung out of the vehicle.

When the dust settled, only three persons reportedly survived out of the 18 passengers.

Men of the fire service, Nigeria Army and the National Emergency Management Authority {NEMA} were at the scene to help the victims.

The spokesman of NEMA in the South West, Alhaji Ibrahim Farinloye said they  diverted on-coming vehicles to other alternative routes.

Victims of the accident were said to have been taken to Bowen University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.

Confirming the accident,  the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Ogbomosho Unit Commander, Adedipe George said that the auto crash happened some minutes before 9a.m. about 15 kilometres after Ogbomosho.

He clarified that three vehicles; two tankers marked XB 476 AKK,  XS 732 AGL and a Toyota 18-seater bus were involved.

According to him, three victims were burnt beyond recognition.

He said 23 people were involved in the accident, 21 of them were male and two females.

“Three persons were killed instantly while nine others were injured,” he said.

According to him, two of the deceased were trapped inside one of the vehicles and burnt to ashes.

George said that the injured were taken to Ebun Oluwa Clinic, Sabo Ogbomoso, while the dead were taken to mortuary.