About 36 people were
reported killed when a
lorry conveying eng-ine oil lost control and ran into Kachako market in Kano State.
Daily Trust gathered that the accident occurred at 12 p.m. on Sunday as buying and selling was in progress in the market.
The lorry, with registr-ation number AE 136 GSH, traveling from Kano city to Bauchi, lost control and ran over about eight commuter vehicles loading passengers and instantly killed 29 persons.
When Daily Trust got to Kachako market, the scene of the accident was littered with blood amidst the wreckage of vehicles involved in the accident.
The vice-chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Mohammed Kham, described the tragedy as shocking and unfortunate, explaining that the re-occurrence of such accidents along the road required urgent attention.
Vice chairman of Takai local government area of Kano State, Alhaji Sani A. Salihu, who was at the scene of the accident immediately it occurred, told our reporter that several heads were sev-ered with bodies littered on the road.
“I have never seen such destruction of lives in a short time like that,” he lamented.
Alhaji Sani also explained that accidents similar to that have been occurring and disclosed that already, the council has directed officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission to advise the local government on how to forestall such accidents.
A victim of the accident, Kabir Abdu who is one of the only two survivors lying critically ill at the Takai hospital, said he boarded a bus to Wudil and was waiting to take-off and before he could realise what was happening, he only found himself on the hospital bed.
Many relations have been trooping to Dutse, Birnin Kudu and Takai hospitals for information about their relatives who travelled to the market.
Apart from the dead, the lorry also destroyed properties and killed animals brou-ght to the market for sale along the Kachako road.
Police at the Takai station confirmed the accident and explained that the in Danladi Adamu, is under custody and investigation is in progress over the circum-stance that lead to the acci-dent.
However, the police said preliminary investigations revealed that the brake of the truck got damaged about five kilometres from the town but the driver insisted on conti-nuing with the journey to Birnin Kudu where he planned to repair it.
This, according to the police, was disclosed by the truck conductor who also sustained injuries.
Other vehicles damaged include, a Toyota Hiace with No. XA 646 SML and one with XA 143 WDL and a Model ‘F’ Hiace, AE 471 MOB, among others.
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