Many were feared dead in a multiple road crash involving about 10 vehicles along Enugu/Port Harcourt highway yesterday afternoon.

The incident, which occurred near the New Gariki Market, threw traders and passers-by that attempted to rescue victims of the accident, overboard.

The crash involved four trailers loaded with cattle and other goods, two commercial buses, two Sienna vehicles and smaller cars that were trapped beneath the fallen articulated trucks.

As of the time of filing this report, the casualty figure remained unknown, but the extent of destruction suggested significant loss of lives. Human body parts were visibly strewn under the trailers, making rescue efforts difficult and chaotic.

The Guardian, arriving at the scene shortly after the collision, observed traders from the nearby Gariki Market desperately attempting to rescue survivors trapped under the wreckage.

Many wailed helplessly as they struggled to lift heavy tyres and metal frames pinning victims down.

A trader said the accident happened within seconds, blaming motorists who were driving against traffic on the newly reconstructed lane of the expressway.

“People were driving one-way with speed. Before we knew it, trailers and vehicles collided and everything scattered,” he recounted.

The situation escalated until about 20 soldiers arrived in four gun trucks and a Black Maria. The military personnel immediately began controlling traffic and creating passage for stranded motorists, as the gridlock forced all vehicles to divert to the only usable lane.

No other authority was in sight as of the time of filing this report to speak on the matter.

There is no official statement yet on the number of casualties as well as the cause of the accident.