How 18 people were burnt to death in Ondo auto crash

At least 18 people have lost their lives in a road crash which occurred on Saturday on the Akure-Owo Expressway at Oba Ile town in the Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.

It was gathered that the accident, which occurred at about 3.30am on Saturday, involved an 18-passenger bus with number plate Adamawa YLA 25 XU and a truck marked  Lagos GG 873 XM.

According to an eyewitness, the driver of the truck lost control of the vehicle and collided with the passenger bus coming from the opposite direction. The two vehicles were said to have caught fire immediately.

The eyewitness said, “The truck was coming from Owo. As the driver was trying to avoid a pothole on the expressway, he lost control of the vehicle and swerved off to the other lane to collide with the bus which was coming from Lagos, heading towards the northern part of the country.

“Immediately the two vehicles collided, they caught fire and it burnt all the occupants of the bus. The victims were burnt beyond recognition.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Femi Joseph, confirmed the accident. He said the driver and motor boy of the truck did not die in the accident but ran away after the crash.

“It was a head-on collision when the truck wanted to avoid a pothole on the road. The driver and the motor boy of the truck survived the accident but we are yet to know their whereabouts,” Joseph stated.