Seven including two children burnt to death in a bus crash on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

On Sunday, a bus crash occurred along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, resulting in the death of seven individuals, including two children. The incident involved a Mazda bus with the license plate BDG993YG, which crashed and subsequently caught fire, leading to the loss of lives and injuries sustained by others. The accident occurred at the OPIC axis of the highway, and reports indicate that 14 other passengers were injured in the crash.

The spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ogun State Command, Florence Okpe, confirmed the bus crash in Abeokuta, the state capital. Okpe noted that the crash was a lone accident that occurred at around 10.45 am on Sunday. She further explained that the crash involved 22 individuals, comprising seven male adults, eight female adults, four male children, and three female children. Out of this number, seven individuals lost their lives, while 14 others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Okpe attributed the cause of the crash to excessive speed and brake failure, which resulted in a loss of control of the vehicle. She further explained that the vehicle caught fire after the crash, leading to the death of some of the occupants. The injured victims were quickly rushed to the Lagos State Accident Emergency Centre in Ojota, while the corpses were deposited at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital’s morgue in Sagamu.

In response to this tragic incident, the FRSC Corps Marshal, Dauda Biu, has called on fleet and commercial vehicle operators, as well as private vehicle owners, to prioritize routine and regular vehicle maintenance. Biu’s call for regular vehicle maintenance is crucial in preventing such tragic accidents on our roads. When vehicles are regularly maintained, faults can be detected and fixed before they become major issues that could result in crashes.

In conclusion, the loss of lives in the Sunday accident is heartbreaking and painful, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the deceased. However, we must take a lesson from this tragedy and prioritize routine and regular vehicle maintenance to ensure the safety of all road users.