A deadly accident involving a J5 Ford bus and a Mercedes truck occurred at Ilubirin, inward Sura, along the Lagos Third Mainland Bridge on Monday morning.
According to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, the crash killed one person and injured four others.
Adebayo Taofiq, LASTMA Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, said in a statement on X.com on Monday that LASTMA staff, led by General Manager Olalekan Bakare-Oki, were on the scene quickly and began rescue operations.
The statement read, “The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has confirmed a tragic collision involving a J5 Ford bus (FKJ 724 YC) and a Mercedes truck (FKJ 746 YC) at Ilubirin, inward Sura, along the Lagos Third Mainland Bridge.
“The accident, which occurred earlier today, claimed one life and left a total of five individuals affected.
“LASTMA officials, under the leadership of the general manager, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, promptly arrived at the scene and spearheaded the rescue operations. With the support of concerned bystanders, four victims were extricated from the wreckage, three of whom were rescued alive.
“Tragically, one individual, trapped inside the J5 Ford bus laden with pepper and other perishable goods, succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash.”
All survivors were allegedly taken to the General Hospital on Lagos Island for prompt medical care.
According to the statement, preliminary findings indicate that the J5 Ford bus suffered brake failure while travelling at high speeds, resulting in a collision with the Mercedes truck.
It further stated that emergency response teams, including those from the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, the Federal Road Safety Corps, and the Nigerian Police Force, among others, worked with LASTMA to control the situation.
Traffic gridlock had reportedly extended from the accident site to the Unilag shoreline on the Third Mainland Bridge; however, LASTMA stated that its rescue crew had cleared the accident site, removed the vehicles, and cleaned up any spilt perishable items to enable unimpeded traffic flow over the bridge.
In the statement, Bakare-Oki conveyed his condolences to the deceased’s family and emphasised the importance of road safety, especially as the holiday season approaches.
He also asked drivers, particularly those operating heavy-duty vehicles, to avoid excessive speeding and to check that their vehicles, particularly the braking systems, are in good working order before beginning on any voyage.
