Tragedy struck in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Monday morning after a truck conveying tiles and another one carrying drinks had brake failure and ran into two tricycles popularly known as Keke killing six people and injuring five others.
The accident occurred at Oke Eleshin, Amuloko on Akanran Road, in the Ona Ara Local Government Area.
Among the injured were two primary school children and another pupil whose mother d!ed in the accident.
While some of the injured were taken to the nearby Amuloko City Hospital, treated immediately and discharged, others with severe injuries were admitted for proper treatment.
According to staff of the Oyo Road Transport Maintenance Agency, the ill-fated truck had brake failure while descending the slope of the road and the driver lost control and in the process crushed one of the tricycles.
“When the trailer lost control, it crushed a tricycle popularly called Keke NAPEP. Another lorry conveying soft drinks was coming from behind it and tried to avoid hitting the trailer in front, and in the process hit and crushed another Keke NAPEP. We learnt that six persons d!ed while five persons sustained injuries. They have all been conveyed away from here, ” a witness said.
The driver of the truck carrying tiles reportedly fled the scene with sympathisers blaming him for the multiple accidents for his failure to divert the truck to a nearby ditch rather than hitting the incoming tricycle.
Confirming the incident, the Managing Director of the Amuloko City Hospital, Raji Wale said four injured victims were rushed to his hospital.
“Four patients were taken to his hospital. The accident occurred in the early hours of today ( Monday). Six victims were brought here with varying degrees of injury. Some were taken to other hospitals. We were able to absorb the ones brought here. Two have been treated as out-patient victims and they have been stabilized and they have left,” he said.
“Two kids have been treated and they are downstairs. One of them, I was told, was in Keke NAPEP with his mother. The mother died. The other two with severe injuries have been admitted and are being treated. They have been optimized and we are taking care of them presently,” he added.