7 killed, 20 injured in Onitsha Auto crash

www.odogwublog.com reports that a reckless trailer driver again killed no fewer than 7 persons weekend in Onitsha Anambra state as a result of brake failure.

It was like one week one trailer brake failure and may lives lost at Upper Iweka even as 11 vehicles were smashed in the incident that occurred when a 40 foot trailer laden with crates of beer, (liquid content) had a break failure opposite the Army gate on descending the Onitsha/Enugu/Asaba Expressway.

www.odogwublog.com  reports further that out of the dead two were women while the injured were taken to a nearby Toronto hospital where most of them were reportedly placed under the danger list.

The accident could have been avoided but for the over speeding of the trailer driver according to eye witness before he consequently rammed into the Onitsha North park at Upper Iweka axis where it off loaded its content on the said vehicles beyond recognition.

Among the vehicles destroyed were, Mitsubishi buses, tricycles, motorcycles and 608 Mercedes lorry.

Confirming the incident, the Acting Commander, Onitsha Unit of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Mr. Ezekannagha Obi, said that only four persons died.

According to him, “my men and the police from Onitsha Central Police Station, CPS, came to the rescue and took the injured to the Toronto hospital”, while , the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Mr. Isa Abubakar, said that  only three people died.

Abubakar’s words "we are trying to rescue the injured and they are being taken to Toronto hospital. The driver of the ill fated trailer is with us and we are clearing the road after which we know the exact number of casualties because many severe ones are still unconscious".

It would be recalled that many lives have been lost in the same spot as trailer drivers often lose the control of their vehicle due to over speed and often ram into unsuspecting vehicles and crowd.