Rescue operation by officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the Police and Edo State Fire Service continued yesterday at the scene of Friday multiple accident that claimed several lives at Ugbogui along the Benin- Ore-Lagos expressway.
Speaking to Sunday Sun, Edo Sector Commander of the FRSC, Mr. Kenneth Nwagbe said that one more body was recovered at the point where the vehicles collided and was taken to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) mortuary. He said 36 bodies have been recovered from the scene adding that from the manifest of the Luxury bus involved in the accident, a total of 36 people died in the accident.
Mr. Nwangbe revealed that relatives of some of the dead victims have identified them. He advised motorists to put their vehicles in good order mindful that the rainy season has set in. On whether the FRSC was considering mass burial for victims who could not be identified, Mr. Nwangbe said: “That has a process. We will follow due process. We are not the only agency on ground; the Police are also on ground and are involved.” Another official of the FRSC who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “Our duty is to clear the debris on the road and arrange to take the bodies to the mortuary. It is the duty of the Police to arrange for mass burial.”
Speaking on the rescue operation, Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Folusho Adebanjo who led policemen to the scene, stated that the traffic situation of the road was okay. “We have been able to remove the Luxury bus; it remains the tanker. We suspect there is PMS. The last time we tried to remove it, there was fire. We are waiting for officials of the Fire Service”, he said.
The accident occurred when a trailer carrying cement reportedly had a burst tyre and rammed into a fuel tanker that in turn, hit a luxury bus conveying passengers from Lagos to Enugu. Consequently, the tanker exploded and burnt most of the passengers beyond recognition, while only three persons were rescued. Natives count losses Many natives of Ugbogui community, scene of the fire incident that resulted from the multiple accidents on Friday, suffered loses.
“I lost everything I worked for to the disaster. I sell foods and drinks here (pointing to her burnt shop). I was outside the shop when the accident occurred. Inside the shops were two large deep freezers that I used to cool the drinks. “ Apart from that, there were at least 10 crates of mineral, cartoons of beer, plastic chairs and other items. I cannot quantify what I lost to this inferno but all that I live on is gone.
I just don’t know where to start but I thank God that I’m still alive. I thought the world had come to an end”, said Madam Dupe Abiola, a food and drinks seller. For Florence Olufemi, a palm oil seller, when the accident occurred, she thought the world had come to an end. “I just heard a gboom sound from nowhere and I saw people running to different directions. Inside my store, I had 50 kegs of 50-litre palm oil that I was planning to sell soon.
I also had plantain and bananas inside of the shop. Now, everything is gone and I don’t even know where to start again”, she said. Jimoh Olaniyi, mechanic and car spare parts seller lost his entire shop.
“In our shop here, we lost no less than five cars. Personally, it is a huge loss for me because apart from my shop, I also lost my Gulf car to the inferno. All the tools in this shop were burnt and I am sure they are now useless. I pray that somebody will just come to our assistance,” he said.
Sunday 7 April 2013
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