The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Kogi State Command, has confirmed the death of twenty-three (23) persons in a tanker explosion that occurred in the early hours of Wednesday along Felele – Nataco axis of Abuja – Lokoja road.
The accident involved a tanker loaded with petroleum product, a school bus, cars, tricycles and motorcycles.
Confirming the incident on Wednesday afternoon, the Kogi State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr Idris Ali gave the figures of the victims to include ten adult males, six female adults, three female children and four other children burnt beyond recognition.
Mr Ali, however, said one child escaped death with injury.
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The Sector Commander said ten vehicles including five cars, one taker, three tricycles and two motorcycles were involved in the accident.
He added that eleven of the corpses have already been claimed by their relatives while the rest have been deposited in the morgue at the Kogi State Specialist hospital, Lokoja.
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An eyewitness account said the tanker failed break at GT Plaza at Felele and rammed into the vehicles in its front causing the fatal accident.
A whole family of six who were caught in the inferno all died before help could come their way.
Our reporter gathered that sympathizers watched helplessly as no fire fighting vehicles from the state or federal fire services came to the scene to put off the fire.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has expressed shock over the unfortunate fatal tanker explosion which took place in the early hours of Wednesday 23, September, around the Felele area of Lokoja metropolis.
In a statement by Onogwu Muhammed, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, the Governor is very sad to learn of the tragic loss of lives in the petrol tanker explosion.
Governor Bello in the statement expressed his deepest condolences to the family of those affected by the ugly incidence.
He said, “this is sadly the greatest tragedies the state has witnessed in recent times. The unfortunate accident is a sad development. I share the feeling of those who lost their loved ones in this incident”.
The Governor also urged the students of Kogi State Polytechnic to remain calm and peaceful, stating that he equally shared in their grieving moment over the death of some of their colleagues in the disaster”.
