A commercial bus has killed two labourers, killing one on the spot and leaving the other critically injured.
The driver of the commercial bus, who was said to be on speed while trying to overtake another vehicle along Mile One market axis of Ikwerre road in Port Harcourt, lost control and rammed into two wheelbarrow pushers.
The barrow pushers, who sat on the base of a streetlight, fixed along the middle of the road, were waiting for customers.
It was gathered that the incident which occurred on Thursday morning left many residents and passers-by very sad.
An eyewitness, who identified herself as Chidiebere, told Southern City News that one of the victims was crushed to death instantly, while the other sustained critical injuries and was rushed to a nearby health facility for medical attention.
“The two men were sitting on the streetlight base in front of Mile One market; I know them. One of them is an Igbo man and the other that died on the spot is an Akwa Ibom man.
“They (victims) were just sitting there discussing this early morning around 7.00am when the bus came on high speed, trying to overtake a taxi, but lost control and went straight to the spot the two men were sitting.
“The next thing we saw was the accident; the bus climbed the road barricade and crushed them, cutting into two parts the Akwa Ibom man, while the other man was still alive, but badly wounded and was rushed to the hospital,” Chidiebere said.
Another eyewitness said the brakes of the commercial bus failed before the accident happened and added that the whereabouts of the driver was unknown.
The source stated that a combined team of the police and the Federal Road Safety Corps were at the scene to control traffic and evacuate the corpse.
He said, “The driver cannot be seen and we don’t know if he ran into the nearby police station or escaped. I think the brakes of the bus failed that was why the driver rammed into the streetlight and hit them (labourers).
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“The police had since been here to control the crowd and ensure order. Also, the road safety officers are here to control the traffic and to carry the corpse to the mortuary as you can see.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the incident.
