A family returning home after a Sunday church service has been thrown into mourning after a father and his young son were burnt beyond recognition in a tragic road crash in Plateau State.
The heartbreaking accident happened around 4:20 p.m. on Sunday at Sabon Barki in Jos South Local Government Area when the commercial tricycle carrying the family collided with a commercial bus and burst into flames.
The father and his son died inside the burning tricycle before help could reach them, while the man’s wife, another child and the tricycle rider survived with injuries.
The mother reportedly suffered a broken leg, while the other injured victims were rushed to hospital for treatment.
Witnesses said the family was heading home from church when the crash occurred, turning what should have been a joyful return into a day of grief.
An eyewitness, Kefas Gyang, said he arrived shortly after the collision and saw residents desperately trying to rescue those trapped inside the burning tricycle.
“I was passing by on my way from work when I saw people crying. I went closer to find out what had happened and saw people trying to rescue the victims.
“But the fire was too much for us to handle. It was beyond our strength, and we could not do much to rescue them from the burning tricycle,” he said.»
He added that the deceased man’s wife suffered a broken leg, while the couple’s other child and the tricycle operator were taken to hospital for treatment.
Residents also alleged that the driver of the commercial bus fled the scene immediately after the crash.
The Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Plateau State, Peter Longsan, confirmed the accident and said the injured victims had been taken to hospital for medical care.
He urged motorists to obey traffic regulations and drive carefully to reduce the growing number of fatal road crashes on Nigerian roads.