Five people lost their lives in the tragic accident involving a petrol truck and a commercial bus that happened in Ile-Ife, Osun state, according to the Osun State Fire Service on Friday.

Many travellers were reportedly trapped in the collision, which occurred along the Ife/Ibadan Motorway on Thursday,

About 17 people were in the bus when the accident happened, according to Kehinde Adeleke, the spokesman for Osun Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, whose agency was among the first on the scene.

The Osun State Fire Service spokesman, Ibrahim Adekunle, stated that five passengers—two men, two women, and a toddler—were pulled out of the wreckage dead on Friday while giving an update on the disaster.

As per his statement, the deceased person’s remains were placed in the mortuary of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital located in Ile-Ife.

A portion of the statement said, “On Thursday, September 12, 2024, a commercial bus known as ‘Sabo-Lagere,’ carrying an unknown number of passengers, was overrun by a petrol tanker, crushing them to death. Along Ibadan Express Road, Ajebandele, Ile-Ife, they both veered off the road and into a ditch.

Because of the nature of the materials involved in the crash, our Ile-Ife Zonal Command was notified of the event at around midday. They mobilised to the area and joined the headquarters from Abere to provide necessary support (LPG)

Five passengers—two men and women and a toddler—were rescued from the wreckage following heroic efforts by the State Fire Service men, the FRSC Ile-Ife Zonal Command under the direction of SRC Kenny Olorundare, and a few locals. After that, they are taken to the mortuary at the OAU Teaching Hospital.

Mr. Ismail Olaniyi, the director of Osun State Fire Service, expressed his condolences to the families of the departed and the Ile-Ife community, calling the occurrence regrettable and preventable.