Copyright tribuneonlineng
It was a bleak Thursday for some motorists on the Lagos- Ibadan Expressway a policeman and four other people died in a ghastly truck accident on Kara Bridge, Isheri, Ogun. Others that sustained serious degrees of injury have been moved to the General Hospital by the rescue team comprising the officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Police Force and Lagos State Transportation Management Authority (LASTMAN). Due to the seriousness of the collision, one of the trucks climbed the side rail of Kara Bridge while its head fell off into Ogun River. Other two trucks that cut fire immediately were burnt beyond recognition, while other cars involved have been moved out of the expressway. Eyewitnesses said the truck driver and two other assistants were drowned in the river with the truck head. Others’ account said that an 18- seater bus with passengers also plunged into the river. As at the time of filling the report, there’s no rescue for the drowned and truckhead. No one can say exactly when the accident occurred as some claimed 4.am, other said it was 2am. One of the officials of LASTMAN met at the scene of the accident, said that additional crane is on the way for rescue operation, adding that the major truck that blocked the entire expressway, outward Lagos, has been removed. The accident resulted into prolonged traffic both inward and outward Lagos. For people going out of Lagos, the traffic, which started from Kara Bridge, spread beyond Otedola Bridge, Grammar School Bus Stop on Ojodu- Berger road. Up till now, the whereabout of the driver that drove the truck is unknown. Speaking to our correspondent, a LASTMAN official, who identified himself simply as ” Mr. Joshua,” said the accident involved six trucks that collided. “Almost 4 people died at the spot. But we will continue to do the investigation to confirm what actually happened, that caused the whole accident. “The accident happened around 2a.m. So that’s the only thing I can say briefly. When we got to the spot, we discovered that some people already dead, several others also injured. “The whole truck was blocking the entire road. But as LASTMAN official, we came down here with our logistic equipment to recover part of the leftovers. “As I’m talking to you now, another crane is on its way. 90-tonne crane capacity is moving closer to move all other articulated vehicles out of the bridge,” Joshua said. One of the FRSC officials, Sunny, described the particular truck that the head fell into River Ogun as a hit-and-run truck that packed on the bridge before three other trucks collided with it and cut fire. He said that official statement is yet to be released about the accident, hence he declined to talk further One of the policemen attached, Mrs Sholly, said the accident occurred around 4am, confirming that four dead bodies, including a policeman died in the accident, while the injured have been moved to the hospital. She also said that four trucks were involved, while five cars affected by the truck accident have been moved out of the expressway.
