The death toll from the tanker explosion on the Ugwu-Onyeama axis of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway has risen from 21 to 23, according to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
The Sector Commander of the FRSC, Enugu State Command, Franklin Agbakoba, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Tuesday that an additional two female victims died recently while in hospital admission.
The incident happened at about 11:30 a.m. on 25 January when a fuel-laden tanker had a brake failure, fell and exploded. Eleven road users were burnt to death before emergency responders arrived at the scene.
NAN reports that the FRSC officers evacuated the deceased after officials of the Enugu State Fire Service put off the fire while the injured were taken to hospitals within Enugu for treatment.
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The death toll rose to 18 a day after, and 21 after four days, and now 23.
Mr Agbakoba said the additional two victims – one admitted at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla, and another admitted at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu – could not make it after battling for about a week.
According to him, out of the five admitted at the UNTH six days ago, one died at the end of the month. One patient is still on admission at the hospital.
“The remaining three patients in UNTH who are of the same family, secured discharge even against medical advice, relocated from the teaching hospital to seek traditional medical treatment for their injuries at home,” he said.
For the five victims of the accident admitted in ESUTH Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu, six days ago, Mr Agbakoba said three of the female victims are still on admission at the hospital.
“Two of the admitted patients in ESUTH Teaching Hospital have been referred to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, due to fire burn wounds,” he said.
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He said that of the three victims admitted at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, six days ago, one died recently, and one victim had joined the remaining two survivors on referral from ESUTH Teaching Hospital.
“However, one of the two patients involved in the accident referred to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, from ESUTH Teaching Hospital, left and did not report at where he was referred,” he said.
Mr Agbakoba had earlier disclosed that the incident involved 44 people, 16 vehicles, both commercial and private, and a commercial tricycle.
He said that 23 people, comprising eight males and 15 females, were injured in the accident and rushed to three major government hospitals in Enugu, namely UNTH Ituku-Ozalla, ESUTH Teaching Hospital and National Orthopedic Hospital.
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