Segun Ayinde, Abeokuta
At least 16 people were burnt beyond recognition on Tuesday in a lone auto crash along Buhari Estate on the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway, Ogun State.
Three other passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries in the tragic incident, which involved a white Mazda bus with registration number KJA 949 YJ.
Spokesperson for the Ogun State Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Florence Okpe, confirmed the accident in a statement issued in Abeokuta on Tuesday.
According to Okpe, 21 people were on board when the crash occurred. While 16 were burnt to death, three sustained injuries, and two escaped unhurt.
She added that the injured victims had been taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Idi Aba, Abeokuta, while the charred remains of the deceased were still at the scene awaiting evacuation.
Gas Cylinder Explosion Triggered the Fire
Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire outbreak was caused by a filled gas cylinder kept inside the vehicle, which exploded.
On receiving the distress call, the Ogun FRSC Sector Commander, CC Akinwumi Fasakin, led a team of rescue operatives to the scene.
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Fasakin expressed sorrow over the tragic incident, blaming it on the driver’s negligence in allowing a highly flammable item to be transported in a passenger vehicle.
He stressed that such items should be transported separately using designated vehicles operated by trained drivers.
The sector commander also urged motorists and passengers to prioritize safety, while directing operatives to clear the obstruction for free traffic flow.
He sympathized with the families of the deceased and prayed for their comfort in this difficult time.