Three Dead, Four Injured as Truck Bursts into Flames in Anambra

Three Dead, Four Injured as Truck Bursts into Flames in Anambra

FRSC confirms lone crash near St. Jude Catholic Church, Adazi-Ani, along Nnobi–Agulu–Awka Road; eyewitnesses blame brake failure and narrow road configuration

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Anambra State Sector Command, has confirmed the death of three persons and injuries to four others following a lone road crash on Friday along the Nnobi–Agulu–Awka Road in Anambra State. The tragic incident occurred at approximately 10:00 a.m. near St. Jude Catholic Church in Adazi-Ani, Anaocha Local Government Area, and involved a Mercedes-Benz 608 commercial truck with registration number XB270NNL.

Preliminary investigation by the FRSC revealed that the vehicle suffered a mechanical failure while in motion, caught fire, and the driver subsequently lost control. The truck crashed into a roadside barricade, somersaulted, and trapped some occupants as it became engulfed in flames. The vehicle was conveying seven male occupants to their various workplaces when the incident occurred. Eyewitnesses at the scene provided further details about the sequence of events, with one eyewitness telling Punch that the driver was descending the road when the vehicle experienced brake failure and lost control, plunging into the barricade. The impact resulted in immediate deaths and injuries to others. Some community members and passersby performed an initial emergency response, evacuating trapped victims before the arrival of transport officials.

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The Sector Public Education Officer of the FRSC, Anambra State Command, Margaret Onabe, confirmed the casualty figures in a statement, stating that a total of seven male occupants were involved in the crash, with three persons losing their lives while four others sustained serious injuries. FRSC rescue personnel received the distress call at 10:35 a.m. and arrived at the scene by 10:45 a.m., recording a response time of just 10 minutes. Officers immediately carried out traffic control, diverted vehicles to the opposite lane to ease traffic flow, and arranged for the burnt truck to be towed off the road.

Beyond the mechanical failure, eyewitnesses cited infrastructure challenges as contributing to the crash, noting that the road is very narrow and the absence of an alternative bridge that would allow vehicles ascending and descending the hilly stretch to use separate lanes is always causing traffic crashes along that corridor. This observation highlights the need for urgent road infrastructure improvements on this busy Anambra highway.

The Sector Commander, FRSC Anambra State Command, Corps Commander Bridget Asekhauno, expressed deep sympathy to the families of the deceased and wished the injured victims a speedy recovery. She reiterated the corps’ commitment to prompt emergency response and effective road safety enforcement across the state. Asekhauno urged motorists, particularly commercial vehicle operators, to ensure their vehicles are mechanically sound before embarking on any journey. She also cautioned drivers against conveying flammable or hazardous materials in passenger compartments or under unsafe conditions, stressing the need for regular vehicle maintenance to prevent avoidable crashes. The FRSC boss reaffirmed the agency’s resolve to safeguard lives and property on the nation’s highways and urged residents of Anambra State to make road safety a collective responsibility.