At least 18 passengers reportedly died in a tragic accident in the Ogbere region of Ijebu East Local Government, situated along the Ijebu-Ode/Ore expressway.
According to the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, the incident involved a Toyota Hiace bearing the registration number XA 690AKU.
It was reported that the victims suffered burns that rendered them unrecognizable, while one individual sustained injuries.
Naturenex reports that the public relations officer of the state-owned traffic agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed this information in a statement issued in Abeokuta, the state capital.
He stated that the single-vehicle accident was triggered by a fire resulting from petroleum motor spirit stored in a jerry can within the vehicle.
“According to eye witness account and this was corroborated by the driver, there was keg full Petroleum Motor Spirit inside the bus, it fell on it’s side when the vehicle got to failed portion of the road. The PMS poured on the floor of the bus and later dropped on exhaust pipe and caused the vehicle to catch fire on transit.
” The partially burnt and injured driver rescued to Rona Hospital in Ijebu Ode,while the dead deposited at State Hospital Mortuary, Ijebu Ode,” the statement read.
In urging drivers to refrain from storing fuel in Jerry cans to prevent incidents of this nature, the public relations officer also expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
