ABUJA – A devastating truck explosion on Wednesday evening at Karu Bridge along the Abuja-Keffi Expressway has left at least 10 people dead and over 30 others with severe burns, according to the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department (FEMD).
The chaos continued Thursday morning when another heavy-duty truck lost control at nearly the same spot, sparking fresh concerns over road safety. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in the second incident.
Horrific Aftermath
Mark Nyam, Head of Forecasting Response and Mitigation at FEMD, confirmed that eight bodies were taken to Karu Hospital Morgue, one to Asokoro District Hospital, and another to the National Hospital. Meanwhile, several of the injured have been rushed to medical facilities, including Gwagwalada Teaching Hospital, Federal Medical Centre in Keffi, and Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja.
The explosion also destroyed at least 10 vehicles, leaving charred remains of cars and wreckage scattered across the expressway.
Authorities Call for Caution
In response to the tragic event, FEMD Acting Director-General Engr. Abdulrahman Mohammed urged motorists to prioritize road safety, warning against reckless driving, dangerous overtaking, and poor vehicle maintenance.
“We must all take responsibility for road safety. Accidents like these are preventable if we obey traffic regulations,” Mohammed stated.
He also reminded residents to use the 112 emergency toll-free number in case of emergencies.
As authorities investigate the cause of the explosion, the back-to-back truck incidents have raised urgent concerns about road safety and vehicle regulation enforcement in the FCT.
