Eight trucks burnt in Ogun cement factory …five escape death in auto crash

Fire fighters and officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps battling a fire in the premises of Gateway Portland Cement factory in Aro area of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

About eight articulated vehicles were on Friday burnt in an inferno at the premises of the Gateway Portland Cement factory in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

In another incident, no fewer than five persons were seriously injured when an 18-seater Toyota Hiace bus somersaulted and broke through a fence in Oke-Ilewo area of the metropolis near the OPIC Towers on Lalubu Road.

The fire at the cement factory was alleged to have been caused by unknown persons said to have set the bush around the factory on fire.

The fire, which started around 12 noon, was said to have spread to the section where abandoned trailers were parked.

The Import Manager of the company, Mrs. Funmilayo Sunday, who described the fire as mysterious, told newsmen at the scene that no one could ascertain the cause.

An official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps from Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State, Sodiq Owolabi, also told newsmen at the factory that the corps quickly mobilised its rescue team and ambulance to the scene.

Eyewitnesses said the accident at Oke-Ilewo, which occurred about 11:35 am, involved a bus with registration number Abuja BR 437 GWA and the inscription “Federal Assisted Mass Transit Scheme.”

The bus was said to be on its way to Sango in Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State from Ibadan, Oyo State.

It was learnt that officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps and those of the NSCDC mobilised their operatives to the scene of the accident to rescue the passengers.

The five injured passengers were taken to the General Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta in a Civil Defence ambulance with registration number CD 041A01.

An official of the NSCDC, who pleaded anonymity, said the driver of the bus took to his heels shortly after the accident.