The scene of the incident
No fewer than 16 people have been burnt to death while three sustained injuries in a fatal road accident on the Ondo-Ore Highway.
The accident occurred at Ajure community in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State on Tuesday night.
It was gathered that the crash involved an 18-passenger Totota Hiace bus and a truck.
The two vehicles were said to have had a head-on collision leading to the bus catching fire and burning 16 of its occupants.
However, three people were said to have survived the crash.
The Ondo command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) spokesperson, Samuel Ibitoye confirmed the incident to newsmen.
“The accident happened at 8pm on Monday night and the rescue operation ended at 11pm.
“The accident involved a Toyota Hiace and a truck, with two other passengers who escaped the tragedy.
“Preliminary investigation revealed the cause of the incident to be over speeding and wrongful overtaking which unfortunately led to a head-on collision.
“Investigations on what led to the accident have not been concluded,” he said.
Ibitoye called on drivers to prioritise caution and defensive driving techniques, adding that excessive speeding was a major contributor to road accidents in Nigeria.
In March, the FRSC directed its commanding officers to intensify nationwide enforcement against overloading of vehicles and night trips, as part of efforts to enhance road safety and reduce accidents.
