Port Harcourt bus electrocution
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (February 2010) |
The 2010 Nigeria bus electrocution was a road traffic accident in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, southern Nigeria in which a 33KV electricity cable gave way,[1] striking two buses and electrocuting the occupants.[2][3] The incident occurred at approximately 08:00 local time, 13 February 2010.[4]
The incident
The incident occurred after a severe thunderstorm, with the cable believed to have been brought down as a result of heavy rainfall.[1] The cable struck two commercial buses, both Nissan Urvan models.[4]
The majority of the casualties were passengers on the bus, though several were passers-by.[5] A police spokesperson announced that the exact death toll could not be confirmed as it was unknown how many passengers were on the buses at the time of the incident, nor was it known whether any of the passengers on the buses had survived.[6]
As of 15 February, 2010, the death toll is believed to stand at 11, with a further 11 hospitalised. Ten of the victims died in the incident or its immediate aftermath while the eleventh died in hospital on February 14.[7]
Aftermath
There were conflicting reports on the death toll in the immediate aftermath of the incident. Eyewitnesses reported seeing as many as 40 bodies[8] and several sources put the figure at 20.[6][9]
The Rivers State government released a statement in which it said that no more than ten people had been killed in the incident while a police spokesperson announced that twelve others had suffered "severe burns" in the incident.[3]
The Rivers State government has ordered a report from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria into how the cable was still live when it broke.[4] The state governor released statement in which he said "We sympathise with the families of those involved in the tragedy. We pray God to grant the souls of the departed rest and to consolation to their families. While we are not apportioning blame, we want to say that the tragedy could have been averted if the PHCN had maintained the affected facility."[4]
References
- ^ a b Chukwurah, Henry (14 February 2010). "Black Saturday". Sunday Sun. The Sun Publishing Ltd. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
- ^ "20 dead in Nigeria bus tragedy". Scotland On Sunday. Johnston Press . 14 February 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
- ^ a b "Ten people killed as power cable falls on Nigeria bus". BBC News. BBC. 13 February 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
- ^ a b c d Isine, Ibanga (14 February 2010). "Collapse of PHCN cable: 30 persons feared dead in PH". punchng.com. The Punch. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
- ^ "20 Bus Passengers Electrocuted in Nigeria". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. February 13, 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
- ^ a b "20 killed as power cable hits bus". The Press Association. 14 February 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
- ^ "Another victim of high tension wire dies". Daily Triumph. Triumph Publishing. 15 February, 2010. Retrieved 15 February 2010.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Ogbu, Ahamefula (14 February 2010). "Tragedy as Powerline Cut, Kill 40 in Port Harcourt". This Day. Leaders & Company Limited. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
- ^ "20 people killed by electrocution in Nigeria". The Associated Press. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
{{cite news}}:|first=missing|last=(help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)