3 crushed as trailer falls on car in Lagos

No fewer than three persons were crushed to death yesterday when a 40-feet containerized vehicle fell on a Mazda car on the Badagry-Seme Expressway.

The accident which occurred at about 1.15p.m, was attributed to the bad road which has been a nightmare to commuters and other users of the road.

The containerized vehicle with registration number XT 339 AKD was said to be conveying some goods when it lost control and fell on the car, with four occupants. Three of the passengers died instantly, while the driver was in a critical condition.

The accident caused a heavy traffic while passers-by went on an immediate rescue mission of the trapped persons, before officials of Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, and Lagos State Traffic Management Authourity, LASTMA, came to the scene of the accident.

Three of the occupants pulled out from the crushed car had already died. Vanguard learnt that the driver of the truck fled immediately the accident occurred. Eye witnesses told Vanguard that the bad portion of the road has been left because of the on going reconstruction and that the danger has been there all along.

“For the fact that the road is no longer manageable, road users often drive against traffic to avoid container carrying trucks; now it has claimed lives,” exclaimed a regular road user.

The accident attracted a lot of condemnations of the government towards its people, with an eye-witness saying; “This is an indication that we are all driving on a time bomb. It could be I or you tomorrow”

As at the time LASTMA officials arrived the scene of the accident with a towing van in order to lift the container off the compressed car, a large number good spirited Nigerians, who swung into action almost immediately the accident occurred, had already evacuated the passengers on board the car with registration number UK 641 KJA.