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- Lagos train-bus crash: LASEMA blames driver as FG orders probe
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The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and the Nigerian Railway Corporation have placed the blame for a fatal train accident that occurred in the PWD region of the state on Thursday on the driver of a Lagos State Government staff bus. Six persons were killed and 96 were injured.
At the PWD rail crossing, off the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, a passenger train collided with a completely loaded staff bus owned by the Lagos State Government, causing tragedy to strike in Lagos just before 8am on Thursday.
Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, explained to reporters that the bus driver disregarded the NRC officials' signals because he was impatient to cross the train.
Additionally, the NRC claimed in a statement issued by its Deputy Director for Public Relations, Yakub Mahmood, that the bus disobeyed a command from corporation officials by passing other cars that were waiting for the train to pass.
An inquiry into the accident has been mandated by the federal government.
The unfortunate bus, which had the registration number 04A-48LA, was traveling from the Government Residential Area in Ikeja to the state headquarters in Alausa when it struck the train at the PWD rail crossing.
Witnesses claim that from PWD to Sogunle, the train dragged the bus along its track for about 100 meters before becoming stuck.
Some terrified bus passengers reportedly made hasty attempts to leap off the vehicle as it was being pulled by the train, particularly those near the exit doors.
By the time the bus and train finally came to a halt on the rail, the passengers were stumbling over one another trying to exit the stranded vehicle.
While other travelers suffered injuries of varying severity, it was reported that two passengers passed away instantly.
Lucky Onwuamaeze
- 2023-03-10 06:02:45
