One dead, several injured as bus catches fire on Kwara road

One person has died and many others are hurt after a commercial bus carrying 21 passengers flipped over and caught fire on the Oko-Olowo Expressway in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, on Sunday.

Reports say the accident happened near Iye-Maja Junction. The bus, with the registration number DTH840SA, had a punctured tyre while it was moving. This caused the driver to lose control of the bus.

Hassan Adekunle, the spokesperson for the Kwara State Fire Service, confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday. He said they got a distress call about the accident and quickly moved to the scene.

Firefighters arrived at the scene around 6:35 pm and started emergency operations right away. They evacuated the passengers from the bus. Those who were injured were taken to the hospital for medical care.

The Fire Service confirmed that one person died in the crash. They also expressed their condolences to the family of the deceased and wished the injured a swift recovery.

Alabi Muhammed, the Chief Fire Officer in Kwara State, also shared his sympathy with the family of the deceased. He urged drivers, especially those in commercial vehicles, to keep their vehicles in good condition before hitting the road.

He said that drivers should focus on important parts of their vehicles to lower the chances of accidents. "Regular checks of tyres, braking systems, electrical parts and other vital vehicle components are very important," Muhammed said.

He added that spotting problems early can help avoid serious road emergencies. He also advised drivers to be careful while driving on highways.

Muhammed encouraged the public to report emergencies to the right agencies as soon as they happen. The Kwara State Fire Service promised to keep responding quickly to emergencies and to protect lives and property across the state.