The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has confirmed that six persons died and 25 others were injured following a multiple crash under the Karu Bridge in Abuja on Wednesday.
FRSC Public Education Officer, Olusegun Ogungbemide, said the crash involved 18 vehicles, including two articulated vehicles, two buses, one jeep and 11 cars.
Ogungbemide revealed that the vehicles were severely damaged, with some of them engulfed in flames, just as he noted that emergency responders, including the FRSC, Red Cross, Fire Service, and military quickly arrived at the scene to provide assistance.
The FRSC spokesman therefore attributed the cause of the crash to brake failure which led to a chain reaction of collisions involving the 18 vehicles.
9News Nigeria reports that part of the statement revealed that“The crash occurred at approximately 6:58 pm, with the FRSC receiving the report at 7:03 pm. More than 35 people were involved.
“The crash resulted into a tragic multiple vehicle crash, resulting in the loss of six lives and leaving 25 others injured.
” Out of the six lives lost, four were burnt beyond recognition.
“The injured victims were rushed to nearby hospitals for medical attention, while the dead were taken to the mortuary,”he said.
Ogungbemide further stressed thatthe Sector Commander in the FCT, Chorrie Muta’a, the Unit Commander in charge of Nyanya and Karu, and other senior officials of the FRSC were present at the scene to coordinate the rescue efforts.
He added that the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Malam Shehu Mohammed, also visited the scene to assess the level of damage and commiserate with the victims and their families.
Ogungbemide also urged drivers to ensure that their vehicles were in good condition before embarking on any journey, emphasising the importance of regular maintenance and safety checks.
“The FRSC has been working tirelessly to reduce road crashes through aggressive sensitisation of passengers and enforcement of traffic laws.
“The Corps has also been collaborating with other agencies to promote road safety awareness and prevent such tragic incidents from occurring in the future,”he said
