No fewer than 69 persons were
burnt to death last night as a petrol-laden tanker, descending from Army
Barracks side of Onitsha-Enugu Expressway, lost control, rammed into the Asaba
Motor Park at Upper Iweka, Onitsha, and exploded.
Eleven vehicles, mostly commuter
buses and two motorcycles inside Asaba Park, and the fuel tanker were
completely burnt to ashes.
Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra
State and one of his commissioners wept when they visited the scene of the
accident. The governor told relatives of the victims to take heart and promised
that the state would help in ensuring that those who survived were well taken
care of.
The society’s
Chairman, Professor Peter Kathy, said: “Presently, we have 69 people burnt to
death and 30 casualties. “The dead have been evacuated to various mortuaries in
Onitsha. “The tanker driver lost his break while descending the hill from
Boromeo and Army Barracks end of the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway towards Upper
Iweka.
“Instead of looking for a wide
gutter to break his speed, he veered into a park, where commercial vehicles
were taking on passengers. Most of the people that died were inside vehicles in
the park.
“If the driver of the tanker were
alive, he would have been arraigned in the court because it is multiple murder.
He was reckless. He knew he was fully loaded with petrol and yet he decided to
direct his vehicle into a motor park.
“He does not care for human
lives. How can you veer into a park where you know buses were filled with
people, when the road is wide enough for you to control your vehicle?”
So painful...May their soul rest in Peace
So painful...May their soul rest in Peace
Source: Vanguard Newspaper
Photo Credit: LindaIkeji
1 comment:
oh my good Jesus. see how dem born to ashes. Oh Should there at this point be a law set aside for tanker drivers? Most of them are not trained drivers May their soul rest in peace
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