No fewer than nine people were reportedly killed and burnt beyond recognition, while eight others sustained varying degrees of injuries in a fatal road crash that occurred late Monday night along the Bauchi–Maiduguri Federal Highway.
The accident was said to have occurred near Zangoro village in Bauchi State and involved a Toyota commercial bus and a MAN diesel tipper truck travelling in opposite directions.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Bauchi Sector Command, confirmed the incident in a First Information Report issued on Tuesday.
According to the report, the crash occurred at about 11:20 pm on Monday and was reported to the corps five minutes later. FRSC rescue operatives arrived at the scene at 11:40 pm, recording a response time of 15 minutes.
The Toyota bus, with registration number DRZ133LG, was being used for commercial transportation, while the tipper truck, which had no registration number, was conveying sand.
The FRSC said all 17 occupants involved in the crash were male adults. Nine of them were confirmed dead and burnt beyond recognition, while the remaining eight suffered varying degrees of injuries.
The corps attributed the crash to a tyre burst the vehicles were in motion.
The injured victims were evacuated to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, for treatment, while the remains of the deceased were deposited in the hospital mortuary.
The report added that the vehicles involved in the crash and other recovered property had been handed over to the Motor Traffic Division of the Bauchi State Police Command for further investigation.
The rescue operation was led by the Sector Rescue and Maintenance Area Officer in Toro.