By Peace Udugba -The daily torch media
A female passenger has lost her life while six others sustained severe injuries following a tragic road accident that occurred over the weekend at New Castle Bus Stop inward Gbagada along the Oworonsoki–Apapa Expressway in Lagos.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) swiftly coordinated traffic control and emergency response at the scene, ensuring the restoration of normal traffic flow after the incident.
According to reports, a Volkswagen commercial bus with registration number LSD 654 XY veered off course and violently rammed into a roadside culvert along the corridor. The force of the collision reportedly ejected a female passenger from the vehicle onto the expressway.
In a tragic turn of events, an oncoming articulated trailer approaching the scene was unable to stop in time and ran over the passenger who had fallen onto the roadway, resulting in her immediate death. Six other occupants of the bus sustained varying degrees of severe injuries, including multiple fractures.
LASTMA operatives monitoring vehicular movements around the Gbagada axis responded promptly by activating emergency traffic management measures around the accident corridor. To prevent further accidents and ensure the safe evacuation of victims, officials temporarily cordoned off the expressway.
The deceased, the six injured passengers, and the wreckage of the commercial bus were subsequently evacuated from the scene. Meanwhile, the driver of the articulated trailer reportedly fled without stopping.
Security personnel from the Pedro Police Division later arrived at the scene to provide support for traffic management officials and emergency responders while maintaining order around the accident area.
Officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) also responded swiftly, evacuating the six injured victims, including the driver who reportedly sustained a fractured leg, to a nearby hospital for immediate medical attention.
Similarly, personnel from the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) respectfully evacuated the remains of the deceased female passenger.
Following the successful evacuation, LASTMA operatives cleared all obstructions along the corridor and restored normal vehicular movement on the expressway.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed profound condolences to the family of the deceased passenger and prayed for the strength to bear the painful loss.
He also wished the injured victims a speedy recovery and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to sustained public enlightenment campaigns on road safety across the state.
Bakare-Oki further stressed the responsibility of vehicle owners and commercial transport operators to ensure their vehicles are in good mechanical condition, particularly the braking system, before embarking on any journey within or outside Lagos State.
According to him, strict adherence to routine vehicle maintenance remains a critical safeguard against avoidable road accidents and an essential measure for protecting lives on the highways
