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By; ADAMA JOHN, Lokoja
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said on Monday, that 13 persons died while two were injured in an auto crash in Kogi.
The Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps in Kogi State, Mr Samuel Oyedeji, Kogi told journalists that the sad incident occurred around 7: 30pm on Sunday.
According to him, the sad incident involving a commercial Sharon Bus and an articulated Cement truck occurred by Obajana Market on Obajana -Lokoja Road in Lokoja Local Government Area of the state.
The sector commander said that the Sharon bus had parked behind a truck around the market for passengers for snappy shopping, when the ill-fated cement truck failed brake and rammed into it from the rear.
“And that as soon as the truck rammed into the bus, it immediately burst into flame and burnt virtually all the passengers inside it”
“Also burnt were the bus, two trucks and a motorcycle”, said the Sector commander, adding that the bus was reportedly heading to Abuja from the southern part of the country.
“Our personnel, who were on rescue operations with Red Cross Nigeria and Police officers, couldn’t save the situation due to the fierceness of the fire” the commander regretted.
“But the charred remains of the affected persons were collected while the two injured persons have been taken to Fisayo Hospital, Obajana for medical attention.
Mr. Oyedeji expressed worries that no hospital in Kogi agreed to take the charred bodies for keep, which might force the authorities to give them a mass burial if no relation comes around for collection in no distant time.
The sector commander, who described the incident as “very sad and unfortunate”, cautioned motorists against speeding and poor maintenance of their vehicles.
Accordingly, he advised that motorists should always check their vehicles to ensure road worthiness before sprawling them into journeys to avoid road mishap.
