Tanker crash kills 20 in kwara

No fewer than 20 people were feared dead while many others sustained
serious injuries as a result of an inferno at Bode-Saadu, the
headquarters of Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State on Tuesday.
Though, some residents, who witnessed the accident, told journalists
that the number of casualties might increase, the Kwara State Sector
Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Mrs. Mary Wakawa,
said only four people died while four victims sustained injuries and
were being treated at a hospital.
The residents, who claimed the fire was still raging, believed that
the accurate number of the dead would be ascertained when the fire
subsided.
Our correspondent gathered that the fire was caused by an accident
involving a petrol-laden tanker.
An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said the accident occurred at
about 9.30pm on Monday when the truck fell while trying to negotiate a
bad portion of the road.
He stated that the truck crashed and burst into flames. He added that
the petrol conveyed by the tanker poured out and spread to nearby
houses.
According to him, the fire raged for many hours and destroyed houses,
shops and cows valued at millions of naira.
Wakawa confirmed that the accident and the resultant inferno happened
about 9.30pm on Monday.
She added that FRSC officials rushed to the scene as soon as they were alerted.
The Public Relations Officer of the University of Ilorin Teaching
Hospital, Mr. Hassan Kadiri, said four of the injured victims had
been brought to the hospital as of the time of filling the story.