Nnewi—No fewer than 69 persons were burnt to death last night as a petrol-laden tanker, descending from Army Barracks side of Onitsha-Enugu Expressway, lost control, rammed into the Asaba Motor Park at Upper Iweka, Onitsha, and exploded.

Eleven vehicles, mostly commuter buses and two motorcycles inside Asaba Park, and the fuel tanker were completely burnt to ashes.

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State and one of his commissioners wept when they visited the scene of the accident. The governor told relatives of the victims to take heart and promised that the state would help in ensuring that those who survived were well taken care of.

The Nigerian Red Cross Society officials were the first to arrive the scene of the incident. The society’s Chairman, Professor Peter Kathy, said: “Presently, we have 69 people burnt to death and 30 casualties. “The dead have been evacuated to various mortuaries in Onitsha. “The tanker driver lost his break while descending the hill from Boromeo and Army Barracks end of the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway towards Upper Iweka.
onitsha-tanker-accident

onitsha-tanker-accident

“Instead of looking for a wide gutter to break his speed, he veered into a park, where commercial vehicles were taking on passengers. Most of the people that died were inside vehicles in the park.

“If the driver of the tanker were alive, he would have been arraigned in the court because it is multiple murder. He was reckless. He knew he was fully loaded with petrol and yet he decided to direct his vehicle into a motor park.

“He does not care for human lives. How can you veer into a park where you know buses were filled with people, when the road is wide enough for you to control your vehicle?”

Rescue operation
onitsha-tanker-accident

onitsha-tanker-accident

When Vanguard visited the scene at about 5.30pm, all the Divisional Police Officers in Onitsha, including Rabiu Garba of Fegge Police Station; Emeka Ugwu of Okpoko Police Station and Cosmas Eze of Inland Town Police Station, and their Central Police Station, Onitsha, counterpart, Isah Abubakar, were involved in rescue operation.

Men of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, and Willie Work Force were also on ground.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/obiano-weeps-as-69-burnt-to-death-in-onitsha-petrol-tanker-accident

God protect your children. I wish the survivors speedy recovery & R.I.P to the dead and pray that almighty God should give their family's the fortitude to bear the loss.

Jezzz this is a very sad news on the 1st of half quarter of the year.

May this not be the portion of any Nairaland member and their families. Amen
May the souls of the departed rest in peace Amen.

HAPPY New Month to all Nairalanders, Wishing us sound health and every good thing life can offer.

Thoughts and prayers with the families!!

B

May their souls rest in peace.

Personally I don't rule out terrorism in this act, this is a pure organized terror, its intentional but RIP to our dear ones

This is purely terrorism at play, how come SS and SE govs. are so useless and senseless. Will they wait for daily dosage of massive death before they act.
Very sad but unfortunately expect more of such in the coming days. What irritates me is that the gov. will not do anything about re-fortifying motor parks across the state to prevent such occurrence.