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From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
It was a black Friday in Nnewi, Anambra State following a fatal accident along Nnewi-Okigwe road near Nnewi Police Area Command where seven persons were feared dead and many injured.
The accident which happened around 6:00 pm involved a trailer fully loaded with bags of cement and was descending a hill from Oba axis called “Ugwuakpatiozu” when it lost control as a result of brake failure.
The trailer managed to run through the police checkpoint at the Area Command, hit a tiper long the road before finally ramming into a residential building where casualties were recorded.
When our reporter visited the scene, eyewitnesses said seven bodies had been evacuated to the mortuary while others who were injured were rushed to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi and other private hospitals.
An eyewitness said a little girl within the scene of the incident was still missing as of the time of filing this report.
A senior police officer who spoke on anonymity said arrangements were being made to pull out the trailer to know if there were victims underneath.
The President, Anambra Tiper Drivers Suppliers Association, Mr Arinze Ulasi, said the tiper and the driver that were hit belonged to his association.
He said the tiper driver had been taken to hospital.
Mr Ulasi said the roadblock on the expressway constituted a traffic hazard to the drivers. He also advised that drivers under an accident situation along that axis should veer to a dumpsite which he said could stop the vehicle in motion.
Ulasi recalled that casualties were always recorded, if the vehicle could not be controlled early.
One of the passers-by, Mr Ikenna Ogu, also called for the removal of the roadblock at the Nnewi Area Command.
He contended that any roadblock should be five meters ahead of bumps placed whether by the army, police, or any other security agency.
