Friday, March 29, 2024

Death toll in Lagos rail accident rises to eight as 80 injured victims arrive hospital

BY TIMOTHY AGBOR

The National Emergency Management Agency has confirmed that six more victims of an accident that happened in Lagos on Thursday morning have died.

The Point had reported that the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency said that two adult passengers died on the spot.

Around after 7am this morning, a passenger train crushed a Lagos State Government staff bus at PWD area, off Old Works Road of the state.

Meanwhile, in an update, NEMA said six other victims died immediately they got to the Lagos State Teaching Hospital.

The agency said after the two casualties at the scene of the crash, 84 severely injured passengers of the BRT bus were rushed to the teaching hospital, adding that six of them died on getting there.

NEMA, in a message posted on its verified Facebook page, said, “After a report to the Lagos Territorial Office, Emergency Response team mobilised to the scene of a bus/train collision. The State Government staff bus was trying to cross the PWD/Sogunle rail crossing while the train coming into Lagos from Abeokuta trapped the bus on its rail.

“2 adult females staff of the State Government died on the spot and several injured evacuated.

“4 additional fatalities have died on arrival at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital of the 84 injured and evacuated to the hospital.

Recall that the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, in a statement he made available to The Point had confirmed the earlier two casualties, saying that rescue efforts were ongoing.

He said, “on arrival of the agency’s response team at the scene of incident, it was discovered that a Viale BRT bus with an unknown registration number and a train was involved in an accident at the above mentioned address.

“Investigation gathered revealed that the immediate cause of the incident was due to reckless driving on the part of the BRT bus driver while trying to beat the train traffic signal before the moving train rammed into the BRT bus.

“Unfortunately, two adults were confirmed dead and several people seriously injured.

“The injured victims have been administered first aid treatment by the agency’s medical team (paramedics) and LASAMBUS officials, well stabilized and being transported to trauma center at LASUTH Ikeja for further treatment.

“The agency’s LRT at Cappa alongside LRT at C3, LRU paramedics at C3, Onipanu, Cappa, LASAMBUS officials, Nigeria Police Force, LASTMA, LNSC and Nigerian Army are responders present at the scene of incident. Operation ongoing.”

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