Six persons have lost their lives while five others sustained varying degrees of injuries in a road accident in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The accident which involved a trailer conveying tiles, a lorry loaded with soft drinks, and two tricycles occurred at Oke Eleshin, Amuloko on Akanran Road, in the Ona Ara Local Government Area of the state on Monday morning, October 14, 2024.
The five injured victims were in the tricycles.
Among the injured was a pupil whose mother reportedly d!ed.
Four of the injured who were conveyed to the Amuloko City Hospital nearby included two primary school children who were treated as out-patients while two with severe injuries have been admitted for proper treatment.
A staff of the Oyo Road Transport Maintenance Agency said the accident was caused by the brake failure of the trailer that was descending the slope of the road.
An eyewitness said the accident occurred when a trailer lost control and crushed an unsuspecting tricycle.
“When the trailer lost control, it crushed a tricycle popularly called Keke NAPEP. Another lorry conveying soft drinks was coming from behind it and tried to avoid hitting the trailer in front, and in the process hit and crushed another Keke NAPEP,” the witness said.
“We learnt that six persons d!ed while five persons sustained injuries. They have all been conveyed away from here.”
Aside from the vehicles and tricycles, two other cars were damaged in multiple accidents.
Sympathisers who were prevented from burning the vehicles blamed the drivers (now at large) and claimed that the accident could have been minimized if the driver of the one that lost the brake had swerved into a ditch instead of facing the incoming tricycle.
The Managing Director of the Amuloko City Hospital, Raji Wale confirmed that some of the victims were rushed to his hospital.
“Four patients were taken to his hospital. The accident occurred in the early hours of today ( Monday). Six victims were brought here with varying degrees of injury. Some were taken to other hospitals. We were able to absorb the ones brought here. Two have been treated as out-patient victims and they have been stabilized and they have left,” Wale explained.
“Two kids have been treated and they are downstairs. One of them, I was told was in the Keke NAPEP with his mother. The mother died. The other two with severe injuries have been admitted and are being treated. They have been optimized and we are taking care of them presently.”