The casualty index of the unfortunate tanker accident at the Ugwu Onyeama end of the Enugu-Onitsha highway few days back has increased to 21 from a previous 18 reported deaths.
The unfortunate update came from the Sector Commander of the FRSC, Enugu State Command, Mr Franklin Agbakoba.
During his meeting with the press on Tuesday, Agbakoba said that an additional two males and one female died in the hospital.
The accident occurred on Saturday, January 25, at about 11:30 a.m. when a fuel-laden tanker had a brake failure, fell and exploded, left 11 road users dead before emergency responders came to the scene.
Among the dead are up to 10 members of the same family said to be travelling to Ebonyi State from Anambra.
The deceased were evacuated by the FRSC officers after officials of the Enugu State Fire Service extinguished the inferno while the injured were taken to hospitals in Enugu for treatment.
The sector commander said the additional three people could not make it due to the severe body and burn injuries they sustained.
Agbakoba disclosed that recent harmonised statistics revealed that the incident involved 44 people as well as 16 vehicles (both commercial and private) and a commercial tricycle.
He said that 23 persons, which included eight males and 15 females, were injured.
The sector commander noted that the injured victims were taken to ESUTH Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu, National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu and UNTH Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla in the outskirt of Enugu metropolis.
He said that nine victims of the incident, which included three males and six females, admitted had been discharged, while 11 victims, which included three males and eight females, are still on admission.
Agbakoba, who is also a Corps Commander, said: “For now, traffic have been diverted to the inward Enugu-bound lane of the ever busy Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.
“We have continued evacuation of burnt vehicles in the scene of the accident,” he said.
