The Rivers State Police Command have confirmed the death of 13 commuters, who were killed a ghastly motor accident involving a commercial mini bus and a pail loader, along the Emohua area of the East-West Road in Rivers State.

According to an eyewitness, those involved in the bus mishap were travelling to Lagos on Thursday morning and were burnt beyond recognition as the bus went up in flames due to the impact of the collision.

Speaking on the accident, Nnamdi Omoni, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, said one survivor had severe burns and had been rushed to a nearby hospital.

Omoni said: “I got the report of a fatal motor accident after Choba, along the East-West Road, where a pail loader skidded off the road and had a head-on collision with an oncoming bus.

“The bus was conveying passengers to Lagos. The bus went up in flames and all the passengers, except one, were burnt beyond recognition.

“The person who survived had severe burns and he is said to be in the hospital for medical attention, while the charred remains of those burnt have been gathered and taken to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital for preservation.

“Operatives of the Rumuji Police Station are there on guard and trying to ensure that there is no security breach as a result of the accident and also to prevent anybody from taking advantage of the situation to perpetrate crime,” he said.