Early on Sunday morning, a series of accidents along the Maryland axis of Lagos State resulted in the deaths of at least three people and injuries to several others. The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) reported these incidents in a statement.
According to Nosa Okunbor, Head of the Public Affairs Unit at LASEMA, the first accident involved a diesel-laden tanker that experienced brake failure. The tanker lost control and crashed into several vehicles, causing multiple injuries and fatalities.
The LASEMA team arrived at the scene around 1 am and encountered another crash involving a containerized truck that had collided with a MACK truck. The driver of the container truck sustained a leg injury. Okunbor noted that the accident was caused by reckless driving and speeding.
In total, three people lost their lives in these accidents, with their bodies removed before LASEMA teams arrived. Many injured individuals were taken to various hospitals prior to the emergency responders’ arrival.
The vehicles involved included two Volkswagen Vanagon commercial buses, one Mitsubishi Space Bus, two mini-buses (Korope), and one Honda car. Emergency responders, including LASEMA teams, police, and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, worked to secure the area, control traffic, and recover the vehicles involved. The road and bridge were temporarily closed during these operations.
Recovery efforts continued as responders worked to alleviate the traffic gridlock caused by the accidents and remove all vehicles from the scene.
