Auto Crash: Fire Guts Three Cars, N8m Cash

There was pandemonium at the Eleme junction flyover along the Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway, as a businessman lost his car and the sum of eight million naira in cash, in a multiple auto-crash, last Friday.

An eyewitness told The Tide that the accident occurred when a Mack truck carrying bags of cement had a break failure and ran into five other cars before bursting into flames that burnt  three of the cars in the row.

According to Mr Samuel Etuk, who was at the scene of the accident, the truck lost control as it was descending the Eleme Flyover bridge towards Port Harcourt and rammed into the cars, two of which were lucky to maneuver their way out of danger, while the other three cars  including a jeep that had the eight million naira cash were completely burnt.

One of the lucky drivers of the car with registration number Bayesla AA 373 SPR, Mr Boma Nengi said he was surprised at the impact of the sound he heard behind his car and stated that it was by the Grace of God he escaped with his car from the fire.

The Tide was told that the driver of the jeep who was not so lucky had gone to the Zenith Bank Plc at Eleme junction to withdraw the money, and was just leaving the bank when the accident occurred.

All efforts by passers-by to recover the money from the car proved abortive following the intensity of the fire, while the owner wept profusely.

The arrival of men of the Rivers State Fire Service could not help matters as the fire had already taken its toll on the vehicles.

Patterson Koko