Car crushes 7 pupils to death, injures 10 others in Awka

THERE was pandemonium, yesterday, at Umuokpu Junction along the old Onitsha-Enugu road in Awka, Anambra State when a Toyota Camry car lost control and ran into about 30 students of Community Secondary School, Umuokpu and Union Secondary School, Amawbia, killing seven of them instantly.

Ten others, who sustained injuries, had their limbs or arms severed.

Also, an old man had his right leg broken, his right eyes cut open, with whitish substances oozing out of his forehead.

The students closed from school and were waiting in their numbers at the bus stop to catch transport to their homes when the car ran into them.

Umuokpu community was thrown into confusion as people ran out of their houses and places of work to identify the victims, most of who were returning to Awka, about five kilometres away.

One of the victims was trapped under a commercial bus that tried to avoid colliding with the Toyota Camry.

The car also crushed the stands of the people selling fruits, food items and recharge cards around the scene of the accident and left several women injured.

The entire atmosphere was charged as sympathizers, amidst wailings and sobs, scampered to rescue some victims  who were still alive.

The road was littered with destroyed items, including fruits, tables and umbrellas which were being sold close to the bus stop.

The driver of the car, who was also injured, was able to get out of his mangled car, went back into the car, retrieved some documents and crossed the road where he boarded another vehicle heading to Awka.

Surprisingly, sympathizers did not bother about him as their attention was focused on the littered bodies of the school children.

Before the men of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, arrived the scene 20 minutes after the victims had been taken to nearby Enugwu-Ukwu General Hospital. Members of FRSC, however, towed the Toyota car away.

The Anambra State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Mr. Hyginus Omeje said he was waiting for his men who were on the spot to brief him on the accident.