Tragedy struck on Tuesday evening in Akungba Akoko, Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State, when a truck loaded with cement lost control and crushed unspecified number of people to death including a pregnant woman.
The lone crash, which occurred near the popular Holy Trinity Church, caused panic in the town as residents and students of Adekunle Ajasin University rushed to the scene.
Eyewitnesses said the truck was descending the hill when it reportedly lost its brake and rammed into a barricade before veering off the road. Several victims were said to have been trapped under the vehicle.
An eyewitness who pleaded anonymity said, “The trailer was coming from the top of the hill. We couldn’t say if the barricade was opened because some people said the trailer destroyed the barricade. Like five people have died while we don’t know how many are under the trailer.”
Operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps and other emergency workers were later seen recovering the bodies and clearing the wreckage from the road.
According to the FRSC, eight persons consisting of five males, two females and a male child were confirmed dead, while no one sustained injuries. The agency said only one vehicle was involved, identifying brake failure and loss of control as the cause of the fatal crash.
