No fewer than 10 persons were feared dead following a collision between a commercial bus and a truck loaded with cement on the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway. The crash occurred around 9 am near the CBN Bus Stop in Enugu on Thursday, March 9, 2023.
According to reports, the 18-seater bus with Enugu registration number, XL884 ENU ran into an incoming trailer carrying bags of cement. The two vehicles were driving on a single lane as a result of the bad spots on the other lane.
It was gathered that the road safety officials and passers-by who moved swiftly to the scene pulled at least seven lifeless bodies out of the wreckage of the vehicles. Other unconscious passengers were rushed to a nearby hospital where more passengers were confirmed dead on arrival by medical officials.
An eyewitnesses at the scene, Ifeanyi Ejike, said the bus was filled with commuters from Abakpa, in Enugu East Local Government Area and was heading to New Market community when the accident occurred.
“The driver whose name we have learnt is Simeon was coming from Abakpa and made attempt to overtake another vehicle in his front that was emitting too much smoke from it’s exhausts
“As he made an attempt to overtake the vehicle, the trailer was very close and the next thing we heard was a loud sound and the bus was completely damaged. I don’t know how many survived but I counted eight dead bodies on the floor,” he said.
Many attributed the avoidable crash to the poor state of the road which has forced many motorists to ply one-way. The police, army, and Road Safety Personnel are already on the ground to control traffic and avoid any breakdown of the law.
This comes hours after a BRT bus collided with a train in the PWD area of Lagos state. The incident claimed two lives with many others severely injured.
