Kwara: 25 dead in fire disaster as truck, 18-seater bus collide

By SakaLaaro, Ilorin

Twenty-five persons have reportedly lost their lives while about 15 people sustained varying degrees of injury in a fire disaster at Bode Saadu in the Moro local government area of Kwara state.

NewsDirect gathered that the fire incident occurred when a petrol tanker with registration number JJN 17 XW, a heavy-duty truck and an 18-seater bus collided at about 3:18pm on Tuesday at Peke village along Oko-Olowo, Bode Saadu expressway in the Moro local government area of the state.

The Head of Department (HOD), Media and Publicity of the state Fire Service, Hakeem Adekunle, who confirmed the incident, said that the petrol tanker, travelling from Niger state, was using the wrong side of the road, resulting in a head-on collision with a heavy-duty truck from Lagos state.

“The collision ignited a fire that rapidly consumed both vehicles, also affecting the 18-seater bus from Lagos.

“On November 28, 2023, around 15:18 hours, the Kwara State Fire Service responded to a fire at Peke village along Oko-Olowo Bode Saadu Expressway in Moro Local Government Area, Kwara State.

“The incident involved a petrol tanker with registration number JJN 17 XW, a heavy-duty truck, and an 18-seater bus.

“Investigations revealed that the petrol tanker, traveling from Niger state, was using the wrong side of the road, resulting in a head-on collision with a heavy-duty truck from Lagos state. The collision ignited a fire that rapidly consumed both vehicles, also affecting the 18-seater bus from Lagos.

“Expressing deep sorrow, the Director of the Kwara State Fire Service emphasised the need for road users to prioritize safe driving practices, issuing a warning to adhere to safety measures consistently.”