No fewer than three persons have been burnt to death as a tanker carrying diesel lost control and rammed into other two vehicles carrying goods in Kogi state.
Two others sustained various degrees of burns from the explosion which saw goods and property razed in the accident.
It was learnt that the incident occurred on Monday at 8.17 pm, opposite the Living Faith Church, Felele, on the Lokoja – Abuja highway.
It was gathered that a Dyna pick-up van parked on the road around the vicinity also caught fire and burnt to ashes.
As of Tuesday morning, the remains of the driver and his passenger who were burnt beyond recognition were still being seen in the debris of the tanker.
According to the state Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Stephen Dawulung, the accident happened when the tanker conveying flammable material (diesel) lost control, and rammed into two articulated vehicles, coming from opposite directions and burst into flames.
He confirmed that three persons were burnt beyond recognition and two others who were rescued from the raging fire were taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja for Medical attention.
The corpse of the victims has been deposited at the mortuary of the same hospital.
“The crash resulted from dangerous driving by the driver who suddenly lost control. The tanker was totally burnt. The Dyna pick-up van that was parked by the roadside and two other vehicles were also affected by the fire.
“Traffic was at a standstill due to the magnitude of the fire until after subsidence of the fire when the operatives of the FRSC conducted traffic control to clear the holdup that had built up, ” he said.
He advised drivers of the articulated vehicles, especially those carrying flammable substances to always be cautious and drive within the regulated speed limit and also maintain all vehicle safety protocols.
(Daily Trust)
