The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Abia State Sector Command has confirmed that a road traffic crash which occurred at Arongwa village, opposite Arab Contractors Construction Company site, along Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway on Wednesday, claimed eleven lives, with eight other passengers sustaining serious injuries.
This accident happened just three days after another one claimed the lives of infants and adults on Sunday, which the FRSC attributed to fatigue.
The FRSC in a statement signed by its Commander, Ngozi Ezeoma said that the crash which happened at 12:45 hrs, involved a white coloured Nissan Caravan commercial bus, with registration number, SSM 320 ZR, conveying 19 persons (8 male adults and 11 female adults traveling to Enugu, which rammed into a HOWO commercial truck with registration number, T2828LA.
According to the statement, a combined rescue team from FRSC RS 9.31 Aba and RS 9.32 km78 Aba Unit Commands arrived at the scene of the crash within 5 minutes of notice and conducted rescue operations.
“At the time of the crash 10 persons (5 male adults and 5 female adults) were injured, while 9 persons (4 male adults and 5 female adults) died on the spot.
“The injured victims were taken to Ronald Hospital, Umuikaa and Living Word Hospital, Aba, while the dead victims were taken to Alanwemadu and Peace Mortuary, Aba.
“During a hospital follow-up on the crash victims, it was discovered that one male adult and one female adult died this evening, while one of the victims was referred to Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia.
“With this latest event, a total of 11 persons (five male adults and six female adults) are confirmed dead and eight persons (four male adults and four female adults) are confirmed injured,” said the FRSC.
It further said that preliminary investigation revealed that the cause of the crash was excessive speed, but promised that further update on the cause(s) of the crash would be communicated as soon as its crash investigators concluded their investigation.