By 𝔸bdulrazak Tomiwa

A fatal road accident occurred on Wednesday at the Immigration Junction in Agu Awka, along the Awka-Enugu Expressway in Anambra State. The incident, which took place around 11:00 a.m., resulted in the death of a commercial tricycle driver and left several others with varying degrees of injuries.

The crash involved two vehicles: a Mack tanker carrying Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and a commercial tricycle with the registration number UMZ002QJ. According to reports, the driver of the tricycle was killed instantly when the heavy vehicle collided with his small vessel.

Eyewitnesses at the scene revealed that the tricycle driver was trying to navigate through a traffic diversion created by security personnel due to ongoing road reconstruction. During this maneuver, the fully loaded gas tanker reportedly suffered a mechanical failure and ran over the tricycle.

The Sector Public Education Officer for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Anambra State, Margaret Onabe, confirmed the details of the crash in an official statement.

She noted that while the tricycle driver lost his life, the tanker driver was fortunately rescued from the scene without any injuries.

Onabe attributed the primary cause of the accident to a brake failure, which led the tanker driver to lose control of the vehicle. FRSC rescue operatives arrived at the site by 11:35 a.m. to manage the situation, and the deceased’s body was subsequently moved to the morgue at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital.

Given the highly flammable nature of the tanker’s LPG cargo, the state fire service was immediately contacted and placed on standby. This precautionary measure was taken to prevent any secondary explosions or fire outbreaks while the wreckage was being cleared from the busy expressway.

In response to the tragedy, the FRSC Sector Commander, Bridget Asekhauno, expressed deep condolences and warned motorists to maintain their vehicles properly. She emphasized that such crashes are avoidable if drivers of articulated vehicles adhere to speed limits and exercise extreme caution near construction zones and junctions.