Seven people have been killed and 11 others injured after a tipper truck rammed into a fully loaded commercial bus at the Conoil axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
It was gathered on Thursday that the accident, which occurred around 3.08pm on the Lagos-bound carriageway, involved a Toyota bus with registration number APP 733 YN and a Sinotruck tipper with number plate DED 348 XC.
The crash left some victims trapped in the badly damaged bus, while others were seen lying on the road in a video obtained by our correspondent.
The video showed some victims lying motionless as onlookers wept, while several men made frantic efforts to rescue passengers trapped inside the bus.
Confirming the casualty figures in a statement on Thursday, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, said seven people died in the crash.
He added that 11 passengers, including five males and six females, sustained injuries, while the seven deceased victims comprised two males and five females.
He stated, “A fatal road crash occurred at Conoil axis of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, inbound Lagos route.
“The crash involved an 18-seater White Toyota bus with the number plate APP 733 YN and a Sinotruck tipper with the number plate DED 348 XC.
“According to eyewitness accounts, the tipper suddenly linked up to the expressway and collided with the bus in motion. The incident claimed seven lives and 11 were injured.”
Akinbiyi noted that the injured passengers were taken to Ishara General Hospital and other medical facilities, while the bodies of those who died were deposited at the morgue of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital.
He stressed that TRACE operatives, the police and the Federal Road Safety Corps were at the scene to manage the situation, while a towing crew was contacted to evacuate the damaged vehicles.
He added that the affected vehicles had been evacuated from the road, restoring free flow of traffic along the axis.
The agency commiserated with the families of the deceased and urged motorists to avoid excessive speed and exercise caution when joining major highways.
“While TRACE, FRSC and the Police commiserate with the families of the deceased, motorists are again admonished to avoid excessive speed and be vigilant when linking a major highway, in view of its attendant consequences,” he concluded.
Credit: punchng.com
