An auto crash on the Benin-Onitsha Expressway at Ubulu-Okiti, some 12 minutes’ drive from the Delta State capital of Asaba resulted in the death of five people who were said to be members of the same family on Wednesday.

The ill-fated travellers were said to be on their way to Awka, Anambra State from Ekiti State when one of the tyres of the Toyota Hilux vehicle in which they were travelling suddenly pulled from the vehicle at about midday.

Among the deceased were the husband, who drove the vehicle, his expectant wife, two of their children (male and female) and a maid.

Sympathisers, who were made up of fellow travellers and villagers rushed to the accident scene, battling to retrieve the mangled bodies before the arrival of policemen and operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corporation (FRSC) from nearby Issele Uku who supervised the rescue operation.

An eyewitness said the vehicle veered off the road and somersaulted several times resulting in the death of five of the occupants.

It was a gory sight as blood flowed freely on the road. Some of the rescuers wept profusely as the lifeless bodies were pulled out of the heavily damaged vehicle.

Only two passengers, who included an octogenarian believed to be the matriarch of the family, survived the ghastly accident, while the other was the daughter of the deceased couple.

The survivors are receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba.

The FRSC officials declined comments, saying that it was only the sector commander in Asaba that was competent to speak on the matter.

– Guardian Newspapers