Dayo Johnson Akure
TRAGEDY struck in Ilara Mokin which is about five minutes drive to Akure, the Ondo State capital as 21 persons including two pregnant women and seven toddlers died in an auto crash Wednesday
The driver of the truck according to the Police authorities in the state fled after the accident but his conductor was arrested and being detained at the Police Divisional Station Igbara Oke in Ifedore Council area of the state.
Ten others who sustained various degrees of injuries are said to be on admission at the Specialist Hospital in Akure.
One of those rushed to the hospital after the crash later ran away after treatment and the hospital management has directed its security men to look for him.
Men of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) had a hectic time evacuating bodies of accident victims from the wreckages of the vehicles involved at about 7am.
Vanguard gathered that the crash involved a DAF Truck marked LAGOS XU 606 JJJ heading for Lagos and a Mazda commercial bus marked XV 315 FST belonging to Obadigbo Local Government heading towards Benue State.
Others involved in the crash according to findings at the Specialist Hospital in Akure include five other Male adults and women.
An eye witness account attributed the crash to a head on collision by the vehicles involved.
Our source said that the accident was said to have occurred when the driver of the truck while trying to avoid a deep gully on the highway lost control of the vehicle and collude with the bus.
Contacted the Police Image Maker Adeniran Aremu confirmed that 19 persons died on the spot while nine others were rushed to the hospital
Speaking with newsmen the Sector Commander FRSC, Ondo State, Mr John Bekinbo Meheux said going by the number of the victims, the bus was overloaded as it showed that it was carrying 28 passengers instead of 15.
He said the accident may have been avoided if the drivers of the two vehicles had exercise patience.
The FRSC boss appealed to motorist to be more careful when driving particularly at bad spots and to avoid over speeding.
Meanwhile human traffic to the emergency units of the Specialist hospital in Akure immediately the news of the crash spread across the state capital was unprecedented.
Doctors and Nurses could not control the traffic as members of the public trooped to the hospital in their hundreds.
As at the time of filling in this report members of the public kept trooping to the hospital to ascertain the identities of the victims. END.
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2 pregnant women, seven toddlers others dies in auto crash