By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja
No fewer than six persons lost their lives in the Monday evening auto rash involving three articulated and other smaller vehicles on Federal High way, Felele,a suburb of Lokoja Kogi State, according to reliable sources..
A correspondent of The Reporters,who visited the scene of the accident gathered from eyewitnesses that one of the articulated vehicles descending from the NNPC axis of the road towards the popular Nataco junction caused the accident.
According to Mr Alabi Emmanuel, who spoke with our Correspondent said that an the articulated vehicle, loaded with diesel, experienced break failure and rammed into another articulated vehicle ascending the road.and bursted in to flame.
“Immediately the accident happened, we just heard sound reminiscent of explosion and we rushed out to know the next line of action because we thought it was bomb but thank God it was not,”he said.
The autocrash also affected another articulated vehicle carrying textile materials as well as other smaller vehicles.
One of the articulated vehicles was seeing burning at the time our Correspondent visited the area at 8 15 p.m.with some victims trapped, burnt beyond recognition.
- One of the articulated vehicles involved in the accident.
Those that sustained various degrees of injury, including commercial motorcycle operators, have been rushed to various hospitals for treatment.
Our Correspondent reports that the Felele high way is noted for vital accident and in many cases involving articulated vehicles.
The ugly trend prompted the federal government to construct bumps at the intervals of the road to reduce accident and check the attendant loss of lives and property.
Some security men were seen controlling traffic in the area.
The Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC),Kogi State, Stephen Drawing,who confirmed the incident described it as very unfortunate.
He advised drivers of articulated vehicles, especially those carrying flammable substances, to always be cautious and drive within the regulated speed limit.
The Sector Commander also cautioned drivers to also maintain all vehicle safety protocols such as the use of safety valves, to prevent spillage of content in the event of crash.”
Dawung, therefore, directed full investigation into the crash and sympathised with families of those who lost their lives and the injured in the incident, adding that three persons died in the incident.
Mr Femi Ige, a Journalist who reacted to the incident via his Facebook page said:”Very sad.
“The FRSC needs to do more as regards sensitisation to educate the public,because life lost to road crashes are just too many.”
