Four people have been killed and 16 others injured after a container-laden truck overturned onto a passenger bus on Alaro City Bridge, inward Eleko, along the Ibeju-Lekki Expressway in Lagos.
The accident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday following a collision between an articulated truck conveying a 20-foot container and a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number GME-589 ZU.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), which attributed the crash to overspeeding, said that the truck lost control while ascending the bridge and overturned onto the bus.
The agency’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said that a distress call prompted the immediate deployment of its Beta Whales response team from the Epe base to the scene.
According to LASEMA, the impact of the collision was severe, killing four adult males at the scene, while 16 other adult males sustained injuries of varying degrees.
The agency said that recovery operations were ongoing, with traffic management measures introduced to ensure safety and ease of movement around the accident scene.
The Lagos State Government expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured victims a speedy recovery.
Meanwhile, LASEMA reported two other truck-related accidents at different locations in Lagos on Wednesday.
In the first incident, the agency said that a truck with registration number KTU-940XT rammed into a solar-powered streetlight pole near Vetland School, in Agege Pen Cinema, along Old Abeokuta Road, at about 4:09 a.m.
Subsequently, according to the agency, the truck mounted the road median, obstructing traffic following what it described as reckless driving.
Its Tiger Team from the C3 base responded and diverted traffic to prevent further accidents and ease congestion.
LASEMA said that its heavy-duty recovery equipment, Elephant, was deployed to remove the truck, which was later taken to Abattoir Police Station for further investigation and safekeeping.
In another incident, a DAF truck with registration number SMK 795 XY collided with a Toyota Corolla bearing registration number AKD 169 EA at Lanre Bus Stop along the LASU-Igando Road.
According to the LASEMA, the accident occurred in the middle of traffic congestion caused by a broken-down truck on the opposite side of the road. The DAF truck was reportedly driving against traffic when it collided with the Corolla, blocking half of the road inward Igando.
Though there was no death recorded in the incident, the Corolla driver was said to have sustained a minor head injury and was taken to Igando General Hospital by an associate.
The vehicle was subsequently towed to Igando Police Station, while LASEMA deployed its heavy-duty recovery equipment, Super Metro, to move the DAF truck to a lay-by and restored traffic flow.
