16 killed in bus crash on Abeokuta-Sagamu expressway

About 16 lives were claimed on Tuesday afternoon when a white Mazda bus erupted in flames along the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway near Buhari Estate.

The crash, which happened at around 1:00 PM, involved a single vehicle with registration number KJA949YJ carrying 21 passengers, according to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Ogun Sector Command.

FRSC’s spokesperson, Florence Okpe, disclosed in a statement that a total of 16 people were killed in the crash, while three sustained various degrees of injuries.

Okpe noted that the genders of the victims couldn’t be ascertained at the scene because they were burned beyond recognition.

She also added that the injured victims were taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Idi Aba, Abeokuta, while the corpses are still at the scene, waiting for evacuation.

According to Okpe, the suspected cause of the crash was a fire outbreak in the vehicle, which also contained a filled gas cylinder, leading to the explosion.

“The Sector Commander, Ogun Sector Command, CC Akinwumi Fasakin, quickly moved to the crash scene with his team for a rescue operation, but he was not pleased with the occurrence that resulted in lives being lost due to carelessness on the part of the driver, and it could have been avoided,” Okpe added.

“The driver should have objected to carrying a cylinder filled with gas. He stated that highly flammable items should be transported with care and by designated vehicles driven by trained drivers only.

“He joined in the clearing of obstructions for free flow of traffic. He further advised motorists and passengers to put safety first while using the roads. He sympathised with the families of the deceased and prayed that God comforts them.”