At least 53 persons lost their lives in a road accident that occurred along Benin-Agbor-Onitsha express road, precisely at Abudu town in Edo State, on Thursday.

The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC confirmed this in a statement released by the Edo State Sector Command of the FRSC on Friday, adding that five other persons who sustained injuries have been taken to the hospital for treatment.

Two commercial Toyota hummer buses, one Dyna truck, one petrol-carrying tanker, one Toyota Sienna, one ford bus, one Toyota Corolla and one motorcycle were involved in the mishap.

The FRSC statement noted that everyone in the two hummer buses, Toyota sienna, and corolla car burnt to ashes, saying that the accident was caused by break failure of the petrol tanker, which subsequently burst into flames.

An eyewitness told newsmen that security agents and officials of FRSC were helpless as the victims burnt to death because there was no fire service station at Abudu town, headquarters of Orhiomwon local government area of Edo State.

The statement said Health officers from the local government authorities have been invited to take charge of mass burial for the victims.

When contacted for comments, Edo State FRSC Sector Commander, Samuel Olukoya, said he was on his way to the scene of the accident to get first-hand information.