No fewer than three people were feared dead on Thursday after a trailer conveying a 40-foot container toppled and crushed three tricycles at Mgbaemene Bus Stop, near Upper Iweka, along the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway.
According to eyewitness accounts, the trailer, whose number plate had been defaced, lost balance while navigating a dilapidated section of the road and fell on the tricycles beside it. The crash sparked outrage among residents and motorists, who made a bonfire in protest against the poor state of the expressway.
An eyewitness said, “The accident happened at about 7:20am. Due to the huge potholes that have taken over a large part of the road, tricycle operators usually use a small portion of the lane. By the time the affected tricycles were also navigating the road, the trailer was also doing the same thing.”
He continued, “Before we knew what was happening, we heard a loud noise, and it was the trailer and its container that fell on the tricycles. It trapped the passengers. Three people have been confirmed dead, while some others are still trapped under the container.”
Another witness, a resident who observed the incident from her balcony, also blamed the poor road condition for the tragedy. She said, “It got to that bad portion of the road and slowed down, and was navigating through before it fell on the tricycles riding beside it. It took the intervention of passers-by, drivers, and other residents before rescue efforts began, where some parts of the tricycles and some lifeless bodies were pulled out.”
Security operatives, including personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), reportedly struggled to manage the angry crowd that gathered in protest of government neglect.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Anambra State FRSC Command, Margaret Onabe, confirmed the accident. She said the victims trapped under the trailer were taken to the hospital, where they were confirmed dead on arrival.
Onabe explained, “The FRSC RS5.31A Upper Iweka Outpost responded to a fatal crash on the Owerri-Onitsha Road at approximately 8:20am today (Thursday). The incident involved a tricycle and a trailer, resulting in the deaths of two adult males. A total of four adult males were involved in the crash, with two others rescued uninjured.”
She added that both vehicles lacked registration numbers and that “eyewitnesses reported that the cause of the crash was a poorly maintained section of the road, which caused the trailer’s container to fall onto the tricycle.”
According to Onabe, the FRSC towing van was deployed to lift the trailer and clear the obstruction, while normal traffic flow was restored shortly after.
She further quoted the FRSC Sector Commander, Corps Commander Bridget Asekhauno, as saying, “The FRSC is deeply saddened by the loss of lives in this tragic crash. We urge all road users to exercise caution and adhere to traffic rules to prevent such incidents. Our team responded promptly to the scene, and we are working to implement necessary measures to prevent future occurrences.”
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