LASEMA clears three other road incidents, reopens affected routes in state

A mother and her child reportedly died after two heavily laden 20-foot container trucks overturned near Freeman Market, Mile 2, inward Apapa, Lagos.

However, emergency responders cleared three other road incidents across the state within 24 hours.

Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), which disclosed the fatal accident in a statement, said its rescue and recovery personnel cordoned off the affected section of the road and diverted motorists through an adjoining service lane to prevent further accidents and ease traffic congestion.

The victims were trapped beneath the overturned trucks and their cargoes and sustained fatal injuries.

LASTMA deployed a crane and a heavy-duty tow vehicle to remove the trucks and containers, while officers of the Nigeria Police Force provided security during the recovery operation. The remains of the deceased were subsequently evacuated to the Police Mortuary in Yaba for necessary procedures.

General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed condolences to the bereaved family and called for a thorough investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the accident.

He said investigators should determine whether mechanical defects, overloading, improper cargo distribution, drivers’ negligence or other factors contributed to the overturning of the trucks.

Bakare-Oki also urged operators of articulated vehicles to ensure that their trucks were roadworthy, secure their cargoes properly and comply with established road safety regulations.

He stressed the importance of regular vehicle inspections and responsible driving in preventing avoidable accidents.

In a separate development, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said it had cleared three other road incidents within 24 hours, reopening affected routes on the Third Mainland Bridge, at Abule Odu in Alimosho and on Kara Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

In a statement, LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said the agency’s response teams worked with other emergency and traffic management agencies to manage the incidents and prevent further accidents.

The first incident occurred at about 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 24, on the Third Mainland Bridge, inward Iyana-Oworo, when a dispatch motorcycle collided with a green Toyota bus that had broken down.

According to preliminary findings by LASEMA, the bus driver was pushing the vehicle when the motorcycle, allegedly travelling at high speed, rammed into its rear.

The dispatch rider sustained injuries and received initial treatment from officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) before being taken to a trauma centre for further medical attention.

The collision damaged the front of the motorcycle and the rear of the bus, including its windscreen.

Emergency responders secured the scene and managed traffic, while a private towing service provider helped to remove the damaged bus, allowing the bridge to be reopened.

In a separate incident at Abule Odu, inward Egbeda, in Alimosho Local Council , a Mitsubishi Canter truck conveying paint crashed into a gutter after a suspected steering fault caused the driver to lose control.

The truck, with registration number SMK 401 XS, also damaged an electricity pole, while some of its paint cargo spilled into a nearby car lot. No casualties were recorded.

LASEMA’s Beta Response Team from Igando deployed a heavy-duty Super Metro recovery vehicle to remove the truck from the gutter and move it to a lay-by, clearing the affected section for motorists.

In the early hours of yesterday, October 25, LASEMA’s Tiger Response Team responded to a report of a broken-down truck on Kara Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The team arrived at about 12.55 a.m. and found a truck, with registration number KRD-689YF, loaded with bags of peanuts and immobilised by a mechanical fault, obstructing traffic.

Responders introduced traffic control measures and diverted approaching vehicles while efforts were made to fix the fault.

The truck was eventually repaired at the scene and driven away, restoring traffic flow.

Oke-Osanyintolu commended the agency’s response teams and collaborating agencies, including LASTMA, LASAMBUS and the Nigeria Police Force, for their coordinated interventions.

He said the operations helped to prevent further incidents and enabled the three routes affected by LASEMA’s incidents to be reopened without any reported loss of life.

The agency urged motorists to exercise caution, maintain their vehicles regularly and report emergencies through Lagos State’s toll-free lines, 767 and 112.