From Chidi Nnadi, Enugu
Tragedy struck in Enugu on Christmas day as a trailer allegedly rammed into no fewer than six vehicles and a tricycle that were on queue to buy fuel at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Enugu Mega station, along Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway, killing four persons and injuring over 10 others.
The driver of the trailer was said to have lost control of the heavy-duty vehicle at about 7:00a.m and ran into the vehicles queuing up to buy fuel.
The Sector Commander RS 9.1 Enugu, Federal Road Safety Corps, E.A Zamber, who confirmed the incident, however, faulted the causality figure, as he claimed that only one person died on the spot.
However, the state Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Vitus Okechi, confirmed that four persons died on the spot, while 10 others, who sustained various degrees of injuries, were rushed to the hospital.
Okechi, who regretted the incident, said the accident would have been prevented if the people were not too desperate to buy fuel.
“I equally don’t blame the truck driver because he didn’t know that vehicles queued in desperate quest for fuel along the road.
“I plead with the motorists to exercise patience while trying to get fuel. The single mistake of one person can cause the lives of hundreds. This incident was caused by desperation to get fuel,” he said.
Also the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, in a statement, claimed that only one person died.
It was further gathered that one of the occupants of one of the tricycles, identified as Mr. Okoye, said to be travelling with his family to his home town for the Christmas and New Year celebrations, died instantly.
Those injured in the accident were promptly rushed to ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane Enugu, for medical attention while the corpse of Mr. Okoye was deposited at the hospital mortuary.