At least nine passengers were on Sunday confirmed dead after a 20ft laden container fell a commercial bus in the Ojuelegba area of Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos State.
Officials of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) who were the early responders upon arrival suspended the container and cut off the top of the bus to rescue a female survivor who was taken to trauma centre.
The agency’s Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu while confirming the incident said that the commercial bus was picking up passengers at the bus stop along the Ojuelegba Bridge when the truck lost control and fell over the side of the bridge.
Oke-Osanyintolu explained that the nine victims recovered comprised four adult males, three adult females, a girl child and a boy child.
“A container laden truck has fallen on a bus at Ojuelegba, inwards Fadeyi. The effort is currently being made towards rescue and evacuation,” the agency said in a statement.
It added, “Recovery of the fallen container is still ongoing, though it has been taken off on top of the minibus but is yet to be completely removed from the location, traffic is still on hold, and we have a backlog of traffic presently at Alaka.
“Kindly exercise patience or find an alternative if you are not trapped in the traffic.”
The incident was said to have caused traffic gridlock, leaving several passengers stranded.
