A tragic accident occurred on Tuesday evening in Akungba-Akoko, Akoko South-West Local Government Area of Ondo State, when a truck loaded with cement lost control and crushed several people to death, including a pregnant woman.
The fatal crash happened near the Holy Trinity Church, causing panic across the town as residents and students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) rushed to the scene to rescue victims.
Eyewitnesses reported that the truck, which was descending a steep hill, lost its brakes and rammed into a barricade before veering off the road. Several victims were said to have been trapped under the heavy vehicle.
One witness, who spoke anonymously, said:
“The trailer was coming from the top of the hill. We don’t know whether the barricade was opened or the trailer broke through it. About five people died instantly, and others were trapped underneath.”
Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other emergency responders arrived shortly after to retrieve bodies and clear the wreckage from the road.
According to the FRSC, eight persons — comprising five males, two females, and one male child — were confirmed dead in the incident. The agency confirmed that no survivors were recorded and identified brake failure and loss of control as the causes of the crash.
The accident has once again raised safety concerns over the recurring truck-related tragedies along the Akungba axis, a route notorious for fatal crashes involving heavy-duty vehicles.
