TRAGEDY struck in Kaduna on Tuesday when an articulated vehicle (popularly called trailer) crushed 40 people who were delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while many more were injured.Eyewitnesses said that the trailer driver allegedly lost control of his vehicle and ran into a crowd of politicians, hawkers and passersby, on the Kaduna-Zaria express road near the Kaduna International Trade Fair Complex.

It was at the venue of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial run-off election between Alhaji Namadi Sambo and Senator Isaiah Balat. “The complex overflowed onto the highway with human and vehicular traffic as loyalists of the aspirants and other party members engaged in last-minute campaigns.“Some of the affected delegates were in the queue for accreditation at the main entrance to the complex when the accident occurred,” according to an eyewitness.

The eyewitness said that the trailer, with registration number Yobe XB487PKM, and fully loaded with tyres from Lagos, among other goods, was trying to avoid hitting an unidentified police vehicle that tried to make a U-turn on the highway. “The trailer was on high speed and in order not to crush the police car, the driver swerved and ran into several persons and other vehicles parked on the roadside. The police car sped off immediately after the accident.

“The impact was devastating, the truck driver died on the spot along with his assistant. Some of the other victims were crushed while others were burnt in the resultant fire,” the eyewitness said.The Kaduna State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mikah Takwat, cheated death when he managed to jump out of his vehicle before the Peugeot 504 went up in flame.

Several other vehicles and motorcycles were burning, while officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) made frantic efforts to evacuate the victims and the injured.Bodies of the dead were deposited at the Army Reference Hospital mortuary near Government House, Kaduna, while those injured were seen receiving treatment.
http://www.tribune.com.ng/13122006/news/news1.html

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