At least 16 people tragically lost their lives in a devastating bus explosion on the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway.
The incident occurred at the Buhari Estate area around 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, involving a Mazda bus with the registration number KJA 949 YJ.
According to Mrs. Florence Okpe, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) spokesperson for Ogun State, the crash was caused by a fire that ignited in the vehicle, which was carrying a gas cylinder. The cylinder exploded, leading to the deadly blaze.
The accident claimed the lives of 16 passengers, while three others were injured. Due to the severity of the burns, the bodies of the deceased were beyond recognition, making it impossible to immediately determine their gender.
Emergency responders quickly rushed the injured to the Federal Medical Centre in Idi Aba, Abeokuta. Meanwhile, efforts to remove the bodies from the wreckage were underway.
FRSC Sector Commander, Akinwumi Fasakin, arrived at the scene with his team to oversee the rescue operations. He expressed deep dissatisfaction with the occurrence, particularly emphasizing that the driver should have refused to transport the dangerous, filled gas cylinder.
In her statement, Okpe urged motorists to exercise extreme caution when transporting highly flammable materials, emphasizing that only trained drivers should handle such dangerous cargo.