A tragic accident claimed the lives of six people, including three children, when a trailer driver lost control and crashed at Command Junction, Nnewi, on Friday. The driver fled the scene, according to the Anambra State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
Confirming the incident on Saturday in Awka, the Sector Commander, Mrs. Joyce Alexander, attributed the accident to excessive speed, brake failure, and loss of control.
The crash involved a black commercial trailer (registration number UKP-540YP), a white Mercedes lorry (registration number ATN-279ZK), and three motorcycles without registration numbers.
“Eyewitnesses reported that the trailer, fully loaded with cement, was descending a hill at high speed when its brakes failed. It lost control, collided with the Mercedes lorry, and then crashed into a roadside container shop, pushing it into a nearby building,” Alexander said.
A total of ten people were involved in the accident—six men, one woman, and three female children. Four men sustained injuries, while two men, one woman, and the three children lost their lives.
Among the deceased, a man and a woman were trapped inside a building. FRSC rescue teams from Nnewi extricated their bodies before transporting all deceased victims to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Akammili Umudim, Nnewi.
Alexander, who visited the crash site, met with the owner of the damaged house, offering condolences and assuring him that investigations were underway.
She also pledged that the FRSC would work to locate the absconded driver and the trailer owner.
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Additionally, the Sector Commander visited injured survivors at the hospital and established communication to monitor their recovery.
At the crash scene, FRSC personnel worked alongside the police to ensure the safe offloading and trans-loading of the cement bags, while a heavy-duty tow truck was on standby to remove the wreckage.
Alexander extended her condolences to the families of the deceased and urged motorists to maintain their vehicles regularly to meet safety standards before hitting the road.
