No fewer than eight persons were feared killed while many sustained injuries on Saturday evening, when an articulated truck lost control and ran into some shops at Akungba Akoko in Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The accident occurred directly opposite the Adekunle Ajasin University barely a month after a similar accident, but in which no life was lost.
According to an eyewitness, the truck, which was coming from Ikare Akoko area in Akoko North East Local Government Area of the state, lost control and ran into some rows of shops along the road.
The eyewitness, who preferred anonymity, said about eight bodies had been recovered from under the truck.
“The trailer was coming from Ikare Akoko axis and had a brake failure, so the driver lost control of the vehicle and swerved off the road into the shops, where students of the university were shopping. As I am talking to you now, we have been able to recover eight bodies, we are still trying to rescue those that are trapped inside the shop,” the eyewitness said.
When contacted the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr Tee-Leo Ikoro, who confirmed the incident, said eight people died.
“The cement trailer was coming from Obajana in Kogi State when it rammed into the shops. Eight dead bodies have been recovered and our men are still searching for other trapped victims.”
Efforts to reach the Head of Operation of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Ondo State Sector Command was unsuccessful as telephone calls put through to his line did not go through.
