Auto accident: 15, including pregnant woman, kids feared killed

Juliana Francis
A heavily pregnant woman was among the 15 persons feared killed and
many injured at the Oshodi area of Lagos State yesterday after a
Lord’s Chosen tipper, loaded with sand, failed brake.
The pregnant woman’s foetus was ripped out of her womb as her stomach
burst open on impact with the tipper.
Many eye witnesses at the scene gave conflicting reports of the number
of people killed and wounded in the accident.
The number of the dead ranged between 15, 17 and 25. But police
authourity confirmed that only six people died.
 According to the eye witnesses, the injured were scores.
A resident at the Ireti-Oluwa Street, where the accident occurred
explained that at about 11 am, a tipper loaded with sand, coming from
the Gbangada direction and heading towards Apapa Wharf direction,
failed brake and skidded off the road. The tipper flew over two soak
away pits before grounding to a halt
The tipper rammed into LT buses loading passengers at the bus stop
along Ireti-Oluwa Street. It also crushed commuters waiting for buses
and traders selling.
The pregnant woman and children were just a few of those killed in the
ghastly accident.
An eye witness said: “I noticed the corpse of a one year old child and
a 10-year-old girl. Many passengers waiting for buses were killed and
many injured. I counted at least seven corpses. The tipper smashed
four commercial buses, a land cruiser jeep, and three LT buses filled
with passengers.
“Many of the wounded had been taken to hospital. An ambulance had been
here today to carry corpses to the mortuary. LASTMA officials had
towed all the smashed vehicles, including the tipper to their office.
The driver of the tipper had been arrested and taken to Makinde Police
Station.”
Another eye witness said: “What happened today was terrible! If you
were here, you would not have been able to watch the scene. It was
bloody! A pregnant woman’s was among those killed. Her stomach burst
open and the baby fell out. Some people who witnessed the incident
fainted. You would have fainted too. There was another woman with a
baby strapped to her back. She too was killed. In fact, she died
instantly with her baby. The bodies were badly mangled. I counted 15
bodies, but many people were wounded. One of the LT buses was crushed
like sardine. There were passengers in the bus. They all died.”
The Lagos State Police Spokesperson, Ngozi Braide confirming the
incident, said: “Today at exactly 12pm, a fatal motor accident
occurred at Oshodi, Motor Park. When Police Officers from Makinde
Division led by the Divisional Police Officer arrived at the scene,
they discovered that it was caused by Tipper carrying sand, along
Apapa Oshodi express way, inward Mile 2 service lane. The Tipper, with
registration no. JJJ824XD, which is owned by the Lords Chosen Church,
lost control, due to brake failure and ran into three stationary
vehicles in the motor park.
“In the process, all the vehicles got damaged, while five yet to be
identified female pedestrians lost their lives. One of the deceased
was a pregnant woman, whose foetus also gushed out, bringing the
casualty figure to six. About five people were also injured and they
are currently receiving treatment at LASUTH. We have apprehended the
driver of the Truck, whose name is Lawrence Nwaodu, 45.
“The four vehicles involved had been taken to LASTMA office, while
calm has also returned in the area as Policemen were able to curtail d
situation. Members of the public, especially vehicle owners are warned
to make sure that their vehicles are road worthy as this will help to
stem the rising tide of fatal motor accidents.”