The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) has confirmed the death of 18 passengers in a tragic accident along the Ijebu-Ode/Ore expressway in the Ogbere area of Ijebu East Local Government.
The accident occurred on Saturday and involved a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number XA 690AKU, which burst into flames, leaving the passengers burnt beyond recognition. One person survived the accident, sustaining injuries.
TRACE Public Relations Officer, Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed the incident in a statement from Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. He explained that the accident was caused by an inferno resulting from petroleum motor spirit (PMS) stored in a jerry can inside the bus.
“According to eyewitness accounts, corroborated by the driver, there was a keg filled with PMS inside the bus. When the vehicle hit a failed portion of the road, the keg fell over, causing the fuel to spill. The fuel eventually came into contact with the exhaust pipe, igniting a fire that engulfed the vehicle in transit,” Akinbiyi explained.
The partially burnt driver was rescued and rushed to Rona Hospital in Ijebu Ode for treatment, while the charred remains of the deceased were deposited at the State Hospital Mortuary, Ijebu Ode.
Akinbiyi urged drivers to avoid storing fuel in jerry cans to prevent such disasters, and he expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
This tragic incident highlights the dangers posed by improper storage of fuel, particularly during transit, and serves as a reminder for motorists to prioritize safety on the roads.