At least nine passengers have been reportedly crushed to death as a 20ft container-laden truck fell on a commercial bus in the Ojuelegba area of Lagos State.
The commercial bus was said to be picking up passengers at the bus stop along the Ojuelegba Bridge when the truck lost control and fell over the side of the bridge on Sunday.
Fortunately, a passenger, an adult female was rescued alive and rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
According to the witness, the accident which happened at about 12 noon, in Ojuelegba, inward Fadeyi, led to traffic gridlock along the axis as emergency responders battled to put the situation under control.
However, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, who also confirmed the incident in a statement, noted that an adult female was rescued alive.
“Upon arrival at the scene, a truck conveying a 20ft container was found to have landed on top of a commercial bus.
“Further investigations revealed that the bus was picking up passengers when the truck lost control and fell over the side of the bridge.
“After suspending the container load with the aid of the Agency’s forklift and cutting off the top of the bus with light rescue equipment, a single adult woman was extricated alive and taken to the trauma centre.
“Final casualty count is 9 fatalities comprising, 4 adult males, 3 adult females,1 boy child and 1 girl child and 1 adult female rescued alive.
“The Agency’s heavy duty Goliath and teams from Onipanu and Cappa are on ground. The Agency’s Ambulance, LASG FIRE, FED FIRE, LASTMA and Nigeria Police have been working on this situation which is now concluded.
“Further investigation to be carried out by the Nigeria Police on the removal of the barriers on the bridge aimed at preventing trucks from ascending,” the statement added.