Two persons sustained injuries on Saturday after a trailer conveying a 40-foot container plunged from the New Parts Nkpor Bridge along the Onitsha–Awka Expressway in Anambra State, crashing into several vehicles below.
The accident, which occurred around 1 p.m., involved four vehicles and left traffic heavily disrupted for several hours as the fallen trailer blocked a major section of the busy highway.
Eyewitnesses said the articulated vehicle reportedly suffered brake failure while descending the bridge, causing the driver to lose control before the trailer veered off the bridge and landed on vehicles beneath it.
According to sources at the scene, six persons were involved in the incident. Two sustained minor injuries, while four others escaped unharmed.
An eyewitness explained that occupants of a shuttle bus trapped beneath the bridge narrowly escaped death after quickly fleeing the vehicle moments before the trailer crashed onto it.
The crash triggered a prolonged gridlock towards the Nkpor axis, with stranded motorists forced to endure hours of traffic congestion before emergency responders cleared the roadway.
Confirming the incident, the Federal Road Safety Corps in Anambra State said the crash involved a Mercedes-Benz articulated truck, two commercial shuttle buses and an Audi Volkswagen car.
The Sector Public Education Officer of the command, Margaret Onabe, disclosed that the FRSC received a distress call shortly after the accident and immediately deployed a rescue team from the Upper Iweka Outpost to the scene.
She said rescue personnel arrived within minutes and commenced emergency operations, noting that the injured victims had already been evacuated to a nearby hospital before their arrival.
Onabe stated that preliminary findings indicated brake failure and loss of control as the likely causes of the crash.
She added that no death was recorded in the incident, while efforts were swiftly made to remove the affected vehicles and restore traffic flow on the expressway.
The Sector Commander, Corps Commander Bridget Asekhauno, urged motorists, particularly operators of articulated trucks and commercial vehicles, to prioritise regular maintenance and ensure their braking systems are in good condition before embarking on journeys.
She reaffirmed the FRSC’s commitment to road safety and prompt emergency response across the state.
Normal vehicular movement gradually resumed after recovery teams cleared the obstruction from the road.