6 Perished In Akwa Ibom Petrol Tanker Explosion

Six people yesterday lost their lives in a petrol tanker crash that occurred along Uyo-Calabar Highway in Obong Itam, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.An eyewitness account said that the driver of the truck, whose name could not ascertained, was to be running away from the police that had flagged him when they discovered that he was driving on one headlamp that was not even bright.It was gathered that the driver, in a hurry to escape from police arrest, sped off and crashed into the pavement less than two minutes after escaping from the police arrest.Our correspondent who visited the scene of the accident gathered that a tricycle was trapped in the incident.According to the eyewitness, all the passengers in the tricycle died in the inferno.The rider, who was taken to a hospital, was said to have died thereafter.A resident of Obong Itam, Cyril Ekpenyong, said the crash occurred around 8:30pm. He stated that when the police flagged down the truck and the driver refused to stop, the police did not pursue the vehicle.He noted that the truck drivers apprehension was that the police team that had tried to stop him was pursuing him as he had poor light even at the back.He added that the tricycle rider and another man in the truck were taken to hospital, where two of them were later confirmed dead.He said: The accident happened around 8:30pm. We saw the truck as the police were trying to flag it down because it was driving with one headlamp which was not even bright. The driver did not mind the police as he veered to the right of the policemen for escape.The police did not chase after him; he unnecessarily sped up thinking that the police was running after him. In a matter of one minute and few seconds from where the police stood, we heard a bang.The Public Relations Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Godsgift Uwen, confirmed the incident.Uwen said the accident happened along KM 8, Obong Itam, along Uyo-Calabar Highway on Monday around 8:30pm.According to him, the truck crashed into pavement, falling on to a tricycle thereby killing five persons.He said an injured victim was rushed to a hospital, but had not confirmed if he himself was dead.
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