A fatal road accident involving two trucks, three tricycles, and a Lexus SUV has claimed the lives of three individuals — including a yet-to-be-identified mechanic and two tricycle passengers — on the busy Udu Bridge in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State on Monday.
The accident, which occurred in the early hours of the day, has also raised fresh concerns about the structural integrity of the bridge, as several users reported unusual vibrations following the impact.
According to eyewitness accounts, the crash was triggered when a truck belonging to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc reportedly attempted a dangerous overtake on the bridge. At the time, a mechanic was underneath another heavy-duty vehicle, which had broken down and was being repaired on the bridge.
“Okowa Police was managing traffic because the truck broke down on the bridge. Then the Julius Berger truck tried to overtake and collided. The poles it was carrying fell on our tricycle — it was terrifying. I don’t know how we made it out,” said one of the surviving tricycle passengers.
The mechanic died instantly as he was pinned beneath the truck he was repairing. Concrete electricity poles being transported on one of the trucks also fell onto the tricycles, crushing at least two passengers.
A Lexus SUV was also damaged in the crash, while several others sustained injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals.
The aftermath of the incident led to significant gridlock, with pedestrians — including school children — seen climbing over wrecked vehicles to cross the bridge.
Chairman of the Udu Local Government Area, Olorogun Vincent Oyibode, visited the scene to offer condolences to the families of the deceased and injured. He urged road users to seek alternative routes and advised against halting vehicles on the bridge to prevent similar tragedies.
“The safety of this bridge must now be seriously evaluated,” he added.
Due to the obstruction, some residents resorted to crossing the river beneath the bridge by boat. As of the time of this report, the Julius Berger truck has been cleared, while efforts to tow the other heavy-duty vehicle are ongoing.
Henry Obukowho, Chief Press Secretary to the LGA Chairman, confirmed that three lives were lost and several people injured in the incident.
