Five Nigerian nationals yesterday lost their lives in a car accident in New York City, United States.
The seven occupants of the car, all Nigerians were returning from 2-day convention of the Arondizuogu Patriotic Union National Congress of North America.
The accident occurred around 3:15 a.m., and the police believe the driver of 2008 Mercedes-Benz SUV which struck a concrete support of the AirTrain to Kennedy International airport was speeding.
Witnesses told investigators that the vehicle ran two red lights shortly before the accident, which occurred on Atlantic Avenue just east of the Van Wyck.
Witnesses also said that the vechicle flipped a number of times, coming to rest on the passenger side about 80 feet away and then it bursted in flames.
At the scene, firefighters had to extinguish the engine fire and rescue the passengers inside at the same time. A 9-year-old boy died at the scene, and the body of an 8-year-old girl was thrown from the vehicle and found about 10 feet away from the scence of the accident . Three more women also died, including Nnenna Obioha, 57, who helped organize the event they were coming from.
The survivors include the driver, her 7-year-old son, and a 26-year-old man. They were all taken Jamaica Hospital in stable condition.
At the hospital Evelyn Anyaogu, from the Bronx, identified the corpse Nnenna Obioha, who was in her 50s as that of her cousin.
“She has the best heart in the whole world,” Ms. Anyaogu said.
Naijalog report
Wow… What a tragedy… May there soul rest in perfect peace