If you have witnessed an emergency scene like a car crash, bomb blast, fire outbreak or building collapse, you would have noticed that a good number of onlookers do not actually empathise much with the victims, if at all.
While some do indeed feel for those struggling for their lives, several others quickly reach for their smart phones and start taking shots and videos, with the primary aim of being the first to post it on Facebook, WhatsApp or any other social media platform.
Rescue operatives, like the national and state emergency management agencies, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and Red Cross, among others, have severally complained of how they struggle with sympathisers in such circumstances.
According to them, some of the victims who could have survived the misfortune, lost their lives in the process due to the time wasted attempting to disperse the crowd in order to access the victims.
A similar scenario played out recently in Onitsha, the Anambra State commercial capital, where a ghastly accident claimed no fewer than 20 lives, with several others sustaining varying degrees of injury.
A tanker loaded with kerosene reportedly lost control and rammed into the ever busy Upper Iweka area of the commercial city, killing lots of people from MCC Bus Stop down to Peace Motor Park Gate.
Although, there were conflicting reports on the casualty figure by various agencies involved in the rescue operations, but the fact that the incident was tragic was beyond question.
Narrating his ordeal to The Nation at the hospital, one of the survivors, Clement Jackson expressed disappointment at the attitude of some sympathisers who besieged the scene of the accident.
He said he was on his way to Imo State on a business trip when the incident happened.
He said, “I boarded a commercial keke (tricycle) that would take me to Oguta Road where I would get the prices of the items I needed. We were three in it waiting for it to load.
“I suddenly saw a truck coming towards us at top speed, knocking things and people down as it came.
“Before I could jump down from the vehicle, the truck had already collided with it and one of the trucks climbed my left leg while another hit me on the shoulder.”
Jackson, an Akwa Ibom-based technician, regretted that while he was reeling in pain and beckoning for medical attention, sympathisers and passersby were busy taking photos and video shots of him and other victims.
“I was disappointed that while I was in pain and praying for medical attention to come my way, passersby were busy taking photo and video shots of me and other victims.
“It took the intervention of one man who later came to me and helped me into a nearby tricycle and I was brought to this hospital,” he added.
Jackson revealed that the other two passengers died while he only had a fracture on his left leg and feeling some pain on his back.
Another survivor, Aloysius Chidera Atuegwu, said he could not recollect what happened as he lost consciousness immediately the accident occurred.
Atuegwu, an immigration officer from Enugwu-Ukwu who sustained an eye injury in the accident, said he was on official duty from Enugu to Kano before the accident occurred.
“I only regained consciousness when I found himself in the hospital,” he added.
Also speaking, Lilian Nwankwo, mother of six, said she was hawking roasted cashew nuts when the vehicle ran into her path.
Nwankwo, who hails from Ebenebe in Awka North Local Government Area of the state, said she suddenly lost consciousness and regained it on the hospital bed.
Her husband, Gilbert Nwankwo, said he was at Ogbo-Mmanu at Upper New Market Road Onitsha looking for work as a mason assistant when he was informed that his wife was involved in the accident.
“I quickly left everything and ran to this hospital and it turned out to be true. I am grateful to God that she is alive,” he said.
Nwankwo however complained that he had no means of paying for the wife’s hospital bills.
“The hospital said a pint of blood worth N10,000 was needed by my wife as she lost a lot of blood from the injuries. I am finding it difficult to raise the money,” he lamented.
A resident of the area, Mr Emma Mbieli called on government to enact and implement a law prohibiting underage persons from driving such heavy duty vehicles as they lacked the experience to take decisions in the event of such incident.
Others called for total ban of heavy duty vehicles plying the area in the day time, noting that three persons were killed along the same spot earlier in the week.
“I saw it happen, that the ill-fated tanker lost control as a result of brake failure and started somersaulting and hitting people and objects within reach.
“Most of the things hit were those at the Adam and Eve axis where many were crushed to death instantly,” Mbieli disclosed.
The Nation further gathered that an Onitsha South Transport Company Toyota Sienna bus with 10 passengers discharging passengers from Enugu was among the vehicles crushed beyond recognition.
Body parts and blood littered the scene, making it difficult to identify most of the victims.
About 10 corpses were deposited at the Toronto Hospital morgue, Onitsha while others were rushed to St. Charles Borromeo Hospital morgue and other unidentified hospitals for medical attention.
Medical personnel of Toronto hospital had it rough controlling scores of people who wailed and cried as they thronged the hospital to have glimpse of the victims and possibly to identify their relations.
The matron of the hospital, Ijeoma Ogoegbulam, told newsmen that, “10 corpses were deposited in the hospital morgue, and out of the ten, two died at the emergency theatre due to excessive bleeding, while eight died at the scene of the accident before they were brought to the hospital.”
She added that seven survivors, four females and three males, admitted at the hospital were recuperating. Among those that rushed in during the accident were men of the FRSC and Onitsha Central Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr. Ifeanyi Iburu.
Ogoegbunam said, “the prognosis on the patients showed that the victims have 100 percent chance of surviving.
“We received 17 victims from the scene of the accident. While three of the victims died on arrival, after failed efforts, another seven were already dead before they got to the hospital.”
She said the hospital commenced tests and treatments as the victims were brought in and that two males and one female were discharged the next morning by the hospital.
The matron also disclosed that the corpses had been claimed by their owners adding that one of the corpses that had its head chopped off was the only one difficult to identify until Thursday morning when a lady came around and identified it as that of her brother.
“We have not received such body count from accident in a long time. The incident is indeed a shock to us,” she bemoaned.
Official report from the police had it that the accident involved a Mack tanker with Reg. No. EFF 81 XA loaded with kerosene and driven by 35-year-old Junior Agari from Delta State.
According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed, Agari had lost control of his vehicle “along the service lane of the road and knocked down 19 persons.”
“Police patrol team attached to CPS Onitsha visited the scene and rushed victims to Toronto Hospital, Onitsha. Seven of them; six males and one female whose identities are yet to be ascertained were confirmed death by the medical doctor while 12 others are receiving treatment,” the statement read.
He disclosed that the driver (the suspect) was arrested, adding that the case was still under investigation to ascertain circumstances surrounding the incident.
Meanwhile, the state Governor, Willie Obiano has set up a panel to investigate the circumstances of the accident, advising the government on ways to avoid recurrence.
The panel will be headed by the state Commissioner for Transport, Uche Okafor, with Commissioner for Health, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice as members.
Other members include the commandant of the Anambra State Traffic Management Agency (ASTMA), the state commandant of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and a representative of the Nigeria Police Force.
Obiano, in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, also directed that the surviving victims be given the best medical attention available as the state will bear the cost entirely.
The governor also promised to intensify enforcement of ban on street trading in the coming weeks.
“Investigation is ongoing which will help to work out ways to prevent future accidents in the area,” he assured.
He urged the people of the state to enroll into the State Health Insurance Scheme to give them easy access to quality health services, especially during emergencies.