Five women die as container crushes bus in Anambra

By Abiodun OBA

An unlatched container which fell off a trailer and landed on a bus crushed five women to death at Odumodu Junction on Nteje-Awka, Anambra State on Friday.

The Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Anambra Sector Command, Mr Adeoye Irelewuyi, confirmed to newsmen in Awka on Friday.

He said the accident occurred at 7.30 a.m. as the driver was avoiding a failed portion of the road, when the container fell off a trailer and crushed the nearby bus.

“The fatal crash involved two unidentified drivers of a Mistibushi L300 commercial bus with registration number XE245AWK and a commercial Daf/Leyland truck with number T-19094LA.

“According to eyewitnesses, the vehicles were headed to different locations; one to Awka and the other to Onitsha.

“When the vehicles got to the bad spot at same time, and due to the weight of the container, it fell on the bus,” the sector commander said.

He said that 10 persons – three male adults and seven female adults – were involved in the crash.

“Five women were killed. Two men and two women sustained injuries, while one man was rescued unhurt.

“FRSC rescue team took the injured victims to Divine Care Hospital, Umunya, while the dead victims were taken to Chira Hospital for doctor’s confirmation before the bodies were deposited at New Jerusalem Mortuary in Nteje,” he said.

Irelewuyi said that efforts were being made to remove the obstruction created by the accident.

He sympathised with the families of the dead and wished the injured quick recovery and urged motorists to drive with caution.