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A tragic accident in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has claimed six lives after a Dangote Cement trailer lost control and crashed into multiple vehicles, igniting a massive fire at the Nyanya Bridge on Wednesday, March 19.
According to the FCT Police Command, several others sustained injuries, while 14 vehicles were completely destroyed in the inferno.
Confirming the incident, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, said the trailer, heavily loaded with cement, lost control while approaching the Nyanya Bridge from AYA and rammed into vehicles caught in traffic.
“A distress call was received by Karu Division reporting a horrifying scene—a Dangote trailer, heavily loaded with cement and approaching Nyanya Bridge from AYA, had lost control and crashed into stationary vehicles trapped in traffic,” Adeh stated.
She described the aftermath as chaotic, with panic-stricken bystanders and motorists scrambling for safety as the fire engulfed vehicles.
Emergency responders, battling thick smoke and intense heat, worked tirelessly to rescue trapped victims.
The bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the mortuary of Karu General Hospital, while emergency response teams and law enforcement agencies have since cleared the scene to restore traffic flow.
Adeh extended condolences to the victims' families and urged motorists to exercise caution on the roads.
“We advise all road users to adhere to speed limits and drive responsibly to prevent such devastating incidents,” she added.
Authorities continue investigations into the cause of the crash as they work to prevent future occurrences of similar tragedies on Abuja’s busy roads.