A truck carrying a container that collapsed in the early hours of Friday at Odumodu Junction Nteje, Oyi Local Government Area, along Awka Road, Anambra State, led to the deaths of five women and injured four others.
A Mitsubishi L300 bus with the registration number XE245AWK and a commercial Daf/Leyland truck with the number plate T-19094LA which was carrying the container, were involved in the accident.
The drivers of the two vehicles were not named, but the accident occurred around 7.30 a.m. on Friday, and the cause of the container which collapsed was attributed to a failed section of the road.
According to an eyewitness, “one of the vehicles was going towards Awka while the other was heading to Onitsha, but they got to the bad spot at the same time, and due to the weight of the truck, the container fell on the bus and crushed it, killing the passengers, while others were rescued by people around with the help of men of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC. Ten people, comprising three male adults and seven female adults, were involved in the crash. Five female adults were killed. Two men and two women sustained injuries, while one man was rescued unharmed.
“We must commend the men of the FRSC rescue team from Nteje for their timely intervention in rescuing the wounded victims, just as their swiftness in taking the injured victims to Divine Care Hospital, Umunya, for medical attention helped the victims. The corpses of the deceased were taken to New Jerusalem Mortuary, Nteje, after they were confirmed dead by doctors at Chira Hospital.
When contacted, Acting Sector Public Education Officer, Anambra State, RC Margaret B. Onabe stated in a statement that Sector Commander Anambra State Corps, Mr. Irelewuyi, in collaboration with Unit Commander Nteje, were currently working to remove the obstruction caused by the crash at the time of filing this report and thus could not speak to newsmen about the accident.
