A serious road traffic accident was averted on Saturday afternoon after an articulated trailer plunged off the flyover bridge at the New Parts Market axis in Nkpor, along the Onitsha–Awka Expressway in Anambra State, crushing multiple vehicles below.

A total of six persons were involved in the crash, resulting in two injuries, while four others miraculously managed to escape entirely unharmed.

The accident, which occurred at approximately 1:00 p.m., triggered severe traffic gridlock along the busy commercial corridor for several hours as the fallen trailer and its wreckage completely obstructed the expressway.

According to eyewitnesses at the scene, the driver of the Mercedes-Benz articulated truck, which was carrying a 40-foot container, suffered sudden brake failure while descending the flyover. The driver lost total control of the heavy-duty vehicle, veered off the edge of the bridge, and plummeted onto the road beneath.

A catastrophic tragedy was narrowly avoided because about six passengers who were already seated inside a commercial shuttle bus parked underneath the bridge noticed the descending truck and fled the scene just seconds before the vehicle fell and crushed the bus. A few of the passengers sustained minor injuries in the frantic scramble to escape.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Anambra State Command confirmed the incident through its Sector Public Education Officer, Margaret Onabe, following a distress call received at 1:10 p.m. A rescue team from the RS5.31A Upper Iweka Outpost arrived at the scene within five minutes to commence emergency operations.

The FRSC listed the four vehicles caught in the crash as:

* A Mercedes-Benz articulated truck (Registration number: FTD581XA)
* A commercial shuttle bus (Registration number: ENU540ZJ)
* A commercial shuttle bus (Registration number: BKL661XA)
* An Audi Volkswagen saloon car (Registration number: ENU528MK)

The two injured victims had already been evacuated to a nearby hospital for immediate medical attention prior to the arrival of the FRSC rescue team. The Mayor of Idemili North Local Government Area, Stanley Nkwoka, also visited the crash site to assess the situation and expressed gratitude that no lives were lost despite the high-risk nature of the plunge.

Confirming the incident, the FRSC Sector Commander, Corps Commander Bridget Asekhauno, attributed the crash to mechanical failure, specifically brake malfunction. She noted that heavy-duty tow trucks were deployed to clear the highway obstructions and prevent secondary crashes, while advising motorists particularly articulated vehicle operators to ensure their braking systems undergo rigorous routine maintenance before hitting the road.