From Ogbonnaya Ndukwe, Aba
More than four people were reportedly crushed to death Thursday morning when an articulated heavy-duty vehicle suspected to be having a brake failure rammed into many others waiting on a gridlock at the Ogbor Hill bridge in Aba, Abia State.
Many others sustained injuries with several vehicles, including commercial tricycles crushed or trapped in the bridgehead, as at the time of this report.
Eyewitnesses said the trailer, carrying a heavy load, was descending the Waterside River hill, during the morning slow movement that usually occurs in the area along Ikot Ekpene Road, when it had suspected brake failure and ran into other vehicles.
Police and men of the state Transport Management Scheme, otherwise known as TIMAS, were seen alongside other people trying to assist the victims.
A lady police officer said to be in charge of the team from Azuka Drive (Ogbor Hill) Divisional headquarters, refused to comment on the accident, saying it was too early, as the actual cause was not known yet.
The officer, who refused to give her name, said efforts were being concentrated on the evacuation of those that got injured to hospitals for treatment while bodies of the deceased would be taken to nearby mortuaries from where their relations will be able to identify and collect them.