By Attah Ede
Multiple crashes involving heavy-duty vehicles on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Third Mainland Bridge in the early hours of Monday, have killed two persons and injured many others.
The incidents also caused several hours of traffic jam across major corridors in Lagos.
The severe gridlock stretched from Kara Bridge through Otedola Bridge l into the Third Mainland Bridge axis, leaving thousands of commuters stranded during the peak morning rush.
The first fatal crash occurred around 2:30 a.m. at Otedola Bridge, inward Berger, when an unregistered vehicle, allegedly travelling at dangerous speed, rammed into a moving, heavily-laden trailer.
The impact killed both occupants of the car instantly.
In a disturbing development, the driver of the articulated truck reportedly fled the scene with the trailer.
The second crash occurred at about 5:00 a.m. near the University of Lagos waterfront on the Third Mainland Bridge, towards Lagos Island.
It involved an empty fuel tanker and a sachet-water delivery van with registration number SMK 67 XH, leaving two persons severely injured.
The injured victims were given immediate first aid by the Lagos State Ambulance Service before being rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment.
The crashes compounded an already heavy traffic situation, with from the Kara through the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to Third Mainland Bridge.
Many commuters were stranded at bus stops as commercial transport operators took advantage of the situation to double their fares.
The General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Olalekan Bakare-Oki, confirmed the accidents and casualties, describing both crashes as preventable tragedies.
“Officers of the Nigeria Police, LASTMA and other emergency responders battled for hours to control traffic and clear the wreckage from the roads.
“The bodies of the deceased were evacuated, while the wrecked vehicles were removed to restore free flow of traffic”, Bakare-Oki said.
He sympathised with the families of the victims and warned motorists against reckless speeding and disregard for traffic regulations.
The GM further reaffirmed LASTMA’s commitment to round-the-clock traffic surveillance and rapid emergency response to protect lives and ensure road safety across Lagos
