Commuters escape death as 5-Star pedestrian bridge collapses in Lagos

Commuters and motorists have escaped death at Five Star Bus Stop, Lagos, after the pedestrian bridge in the area collapsed.

There had been signs of distress in the structure of the building before it came down in the early hours of today, but the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said its preliminary investigations revealed that an unknown articulated truck conveying heavy-duty equipment collided with the pedestrian bridge earlier in the day, which resulted in the cracks and collapsed portions of the bridge.

Fortunately, no loss of life and no injuries were reported due to the incident.

Response efforts are being coordinated by LASEMA in collaboration with other responders.

Traffic management and control measures were activated in collaboration with the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA). LASEMA’s heavy-duty equipment, a giant forklift, was also activated to evacuate the impediment in order to avert all probable secondary incidents.

The entire bridge was cordoned off by the Agency’s Response Team.

Decommissioning efforts for the remaining concrete members of the pedestrian bridge have been kick-started to ensure public safety.

LASEMA’s heavy-duty equipment (Goliath) was deployed to evacuate the impediment off the road to avoid secondary incidents, ensuring the complete removal of all concrete members from the road.