No less than five persons were roasted to death in the early hours of yesterday after a multiple accident that occurred at Ibafo, a few kilometers to the Redeemed Camp when a trailer loaded with PMS, popularly called petrol, rammed into some trucks parked along the expressway.
The accident, according to an eyewitness, occurred when a trailer with registration number, Kebbi, XB370ZUR rammed into some of the petrol tankers haphazardly parked on the sides of the expressway, creating a loud bang and in the process, causing the vehicles to discharge their contents on the road.
The witness confirmed that the tankers immediately gutted fire and burnt no less than five of the motor boys while it also burnt no less than nine of the trucks.
When LEADERSHIP visited the scene of the accident, there was heavy grid lock of traffic as vehicles were diverted to other areas of the road.
Many commuters were also seen trekking a long distance as the vehicles conveying them had to make detour to other routes.
Men of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, TRACE and the police were seen controlling traffic.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP, one of the FRSC officials who pleaded for anonymity said the accident occurred at around twelve in the morning and there was little the command could do to control the situation from degenerating to such a degree. He however thanked the fire service for its prompt response to the situation.
He said there had been several attempts by the FRSC to dissuade the tanker drivers from parking along the roads but many times, they resisted.
As at the time of filling the report, the roads were still blocked as FRSC, TRACE, police and fire fighters battled to put the situation under control.