13 Burnt to Death along East-West Road

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

No fewer than 13 persons, including a naval personnel, were burnt to death in a fatal accident involving a pail loader and a commercial bus along the Emohua axis of the East-West Road in Rivers State.

THISDAY gathered that the accident occurred thursday morning when the pail loader skidded off its lane and rammed into an on-coming commercial Hiace bus, fully loaded with passengers headed to Lagos.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Nnamdi Omoni (DSP), confirmed the accident and said there was only one survivor.

Omoni said: “I got the report of a fatal motor accident after Choba, along the East West Road, where a pail loader skidded off the road and had a head-on collision with an on-coming bus.

“The bus was conveying passengers to Lagos. The bus went up in flames and the passengers, except one person, were burnt beyond recognition.

“The person who had survived had severe burns and he is said to be in the hospital for medical attention while the charred remains of those burnt had been gathered and taken to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital for preservation.”