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Many people were on Friday burnt to death in an auto crash at Oko-Olowo, along the Ilorin-Jebba Expressway, in Ilorin, Kwara state.
Unconfirmed sources put the number of burnt accident victims at not less than 60 people, said to be travelling from the northern part of the country.
The auto crash occurred when a trailer carrying fertiliser and petrol laden truck collided while overtaking, resulting in an inferno.
It was a gory sight, as burnt skulls and other parts of human bodies like legs, arms, etc were seen burnt inside the affected vehicles, while other parts of the victims had been burnt to ashes at the scene of the accident.
Sources said that victims were burnt beyond recognition in the auto crash said to have occurred at about 8:30 am on Friday, adding that the affected vehicles were burnt for over two hours.
There was no vehicular movement on both sides of the road could move while the incident lasted, to avoid being affected.
However, officials of the state Fire Service arrived the scene at about 10:30 am after the losses to put out the raging fire.
How the auto crash happened
One of the eyewitnesses, Sheu Arobadi, said that the trailer loaded with fertiliser tried to overtake petrol laden truck and the two vehicles collided on the sides, thus, resulting in an inferno.
Arobadi said that occupants on top of the trailer scampered for safety immediately after the incident happened, added that so were the occupants of the truck carrying the fertilizer, who he said jumped from the top of the vehicle to avoid being caught up in the flame.
“Many of the people suffered broken legs and arms as they were jumping down from the vehicles. A father had to throw one of his children out of the burning vehicle before he could also jump down. Those who sustained injuries and fractures had been rushed to nearby hospitals for medical attention,” he said.
According to him, road accident of different dimensions occur at least once every week along the expressway, with heavy losses in lives and property.
Residents of the area are calling on the government to find lasting solutions to the frequent crashes along the road, suggesting the construction of overhead bridge to check the development.
