A Lagos State Government staff bus with registration no 04A- 48LA was crushed by a moving passenger train at PWD, Ikeja area of Lagos.
The incident which occurred at past 7 am on Thursday was reported via the Punch.
According to the spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Mr. Adebayo Taofiq, in a statement said the staff bus was fully loaded with Lagos government staff when the tragic incident happened.
“The accident recorded many casualties as the staff bus was fully loaded with govt staff going to the office this morning”.
Following the crash, the Lagos State officials, Police, and LASTMA officials were seen at the scene while many passersby attracted by the incident wondered about the number of casualties or deaths the collision must have recorded.
However, Mr. Olufemi Oke- Osanyintolu, the Lagos State Permanent Secretary confirmed to journalists that the train dragged the bus to about 400 meters from the point of collision before it eventually stopped.
He said, two deaths have been recorded so far with an unspecified number of people sustaining various degrees of injuries. He noted that they have all been conveyed to the Lagos State teaching hospital, (LASU).
Mr. Osanyintolu, while appealing to the residents of the state to remain calm, mentioned that the incident was a total rescue operation.
“We were able to move in there, promptly, effectively, and efficiently and we rescued a lot of people. You will agree with me that this is a complete rescue operation. We appeal to the good people of Lagos State to remain, calm and collected as we are on top of the challenge.” He said.
In a further investigation of the cause of the collision, a commander from the Lagos State Railway Corporation, CSA Alabi Olusegun, revealed to newsmen that the probable cause of the incident could not have been anything far from ignorance and stubbornness as the BRT driver must have been stopped by the flag man but he refused to heed to the command.
In his words
“The flagman was there stopping him but he refused to stop. I don’t know what is wrong with those drivers, So, most of these drivers need to go to the psychiatric hospital and know what is happening to them. Most of them will refuse to stop that is the problem.”
The BRT bus is being evacuated from the train at the time of filing this report.
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