One dead, four rescued in Lagos auto crash

• Two male adults injured in another multiple crash
One person was confirmed dead and four others rescued during a collision involving a J5 Ford bus (FKJ 724 YC) and a Mercedes truck (FKJ 746 YC) at Ilubirin, inward Sura, along the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos .

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed that it occurred yesterday morning, while officials of the agency, under the leadership of the General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, promptly arrived at the scene and spearheaded the rescue operations.

Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq in a statement, said with the support of bystanders, four victims were extricated from the wreckage, three of them were rescued alive.

“However, one individual trapped inside the J5 Ford bus laden with pepper and other perishable goods, succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash.

“Preliminary findings suggest that the J5 Ford bus experienced brake failure while travelling at high speed, resulting in a collision with the Mercedes truck.

“Emergency response teams, including the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency Response Unit (LRU), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigerian Police Force, and LASAMBUS, collaborated with LASTMA to manage the situation.

“All survivors were swiftly transported to the General Hospital on Lagos Island for immediate medical attention.

“In a coordinated effort to restore normalcy, LASTMA’s rescue team efficiently cleared the accident site, removing the vehicles and spilled perishable goods to ensure the free flow of traffic along the bridge,” he said.

While extending his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, Bakare-Oki reiterated the critical importance of road safety, particularly during the festive season.

He urged drivers, especially operators of heavy-duty vehicles, to avoid excessive speeding and ensure that their vehicles—most notably the braking systems—are in perfect working condition before embarking on any journey.

LASTMA remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding all road users and will continue to collaborate with relevant agencies to prevent avoidable accidents on Lagos roads.

In another incident, two adult males were injured in a multiple crash, involving an articulated truck, registration number unknown, laden with a 40-foot container, a Toyota Corolla, with registration number KTU 691 JX and a Mazda commercial bus, with registration number AAA 271 XI at Fadeyi area of Lagos.

The injured victims were the driver and a passenger of the affected Mazda bus.

It took the timely intervention of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Response Team, who activated necessary Safety Measures at the incident scene to quickly rescue those injured, while LRT activated Traffic Control Measures and road diversions to mitigate traffic congestion.

The two victims were given immediate medical attention by the Agency’s Pre-Hospital Care Team and Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS).

Confirming the incident, Permanent Secretary, LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said the response team arrived at the scene at about 9:51p.m. on Sunday following  distress call on its emergency toll free lines at about 9:48p.m. same day.

According to him, further investigations by the LRT at the incident scene revealed that, while on top speed, the articulated truck suffered mechanical failure when its tractor tyre pulled off, resulting in a crash into the two other affected vehicles.

No lives were lost in the incident while police officers are at the scene controlling the attendant traffic, while maintaining law and order.