By Nurat Uthman
The Ondo Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps has disclosed that no fewer than 13 persons lost their lives in a fatal road accident which occurred along Owo-Ikare Akoko Expressway, Abule Panu village in the Owo Local Government Area of the state on Saturday.
It was gathered that the two vehicles involved had a head-on collision and burst into flames, burning all the occupants to death.
The Sector Commander of the FRSC, Dr Samuel Ibitoye, in a statement issued on Saturday, said the accident happened at about 10:14 am on Saturday, claiming 13 lives of the commuters in the two buses.
According to the FRSC boss, the victims were burnt beyond recognition while the only survivor of the crash sustained serious injuries.
He added that his men and men of the police command as well as the men of the state Fire Service rushed to the scene to rescue the victims but one person survived the accident.
Ibitoye said, “A total of 14 people were involved out of which 13 were burnt beyond recognition while only one was rescued alive with serious injuries.
“As at press time, eyewitness accounts indicated that the bus coming from Ikare axis had a tyre burst which led to loss of control and a resultant head-on collision with the bus loaded with fabric coming from Owo axis.
“Immediately after the collision, the two buses went in flames. The men of FRSC, police and the state fire service were swiftly at the crash scene for rescue.”
Ibitoye further disclosed that the injured victim was taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, and the bodies of the casualties had been delivered at the morgue of the same hospital.
