From Sunny A. DAVID / ONITSHA

No fewer than seven persons were on Wednesday evening crushed to death and several others seriously injured at Upper Iweka in  Onitsha, Anambra State.

A tanker loaded with kerosene coming from Enugu axis towards Onitsha lost control and skidded off the road and crashed at a nearby motor park.

The accident also crushed goods and wares worth millions of naira.  

Eye witness account told our correspondent that the driver of the tanker after the incident disappeared from the scene as angry mobs gathered to set the vehicle and the driver ablaze.

The Anambra State Chairman of the Nigeria Red Cross Society, Prof. Peter Katchy confirmed that seven persons died instantly.  

He said three persons who sustained serious injuries were rushed to Pieter Specialist Hospital and to the Toronto Hospital, while one of the dead persons was beheaded completely.

As at the time of filling this report, our correspondent visited Toronto Hospital, most of the dead persons have been deposited in the hospital morgue while the headless body of the young man of about 30 years was still lying at the compound of the hospital.

Doctors at the Toronto Hospital were seen battling to save the lives of the survivors.  

It would be recalled that sometime in May, 2015 a similar accident took place at the same area where over 70 people were roasted alive.  

This is the fourth time such similar accident is happening in the same area.

All efforts made by the Anambra State government to stop loading and offloading of passengers in the area had always failed as transporters plying Onitsha-Asaba route have always defiled government efforts.  

The members of the Federal Road Safety Corps and the police who patrols through these areas seems not to be helping matters as these touts hold sway on daily basis.