A day after truck loaded with bags of sachet water, crashed into the Odo-Eran market, located at Igando area of Lagos State, some of the traders have revealed how they narrowly escaped death by the whiskers.
While the chairman of the market, Alhaji Bamidele Kazeem, said the accident was not as bad as people made it out to be, others just kept thanking their lucky stars that they were not caught in it.
Kazeem also revealed that one of the traders that died, identified as Iya Alalubosa, would have survived, but for doctors’ strike. “The woman was rushed to the hospital, but there was no doctor to attend to her. The doctors were on strike.”
It will be recalled that on Monday, four persons were killed and more than 11 injured after a truck crashed into the market. Eye witness accounts claimed that truck failed brake just as the driver was about to negotiate a sharp bend. In an attempt to avoid ramming into tricycle riders whom were parked by the sharp corner of the road, the driver had drove into the market, killing four persons instantly. While some residents in the area said that more than 11 persons were killed, others insisted that about 50 people were killed. The accident occurred between 930:10am. The truck driver had attempted to bolt, but traders chased him down and inflicted machete wounds on him.
Speaking with our correspondents on Tuesday, Kazeem said that though he was usually at the market in the morning hours most days, but that day, he was not around. He said he was shocked when his phone rang and he heard a panicked voice, screaming that there was an accident in their market.
He added: “The accident that happened yesterday was not as disastrous as people are making it to seem. Anyway, two people died and it happened due to brake failure. The truck driver was trying to avoid the tricycle riders, standing right in front of the sharp corner, but he crashed into the market.’’
A newspaper vendor, who has his kiosk right cross the road, on the way of the out of control truck, said he would never stop thanking God. According to him, it was sheer luck that made his to take a dive out of the way of truck.
His words: “I suddenly heard the sound of the truck and looked up. The truck has had a brake failure! I quickly dashed out of the way. I became one of the people that watched the scene of the accident. Immediately the accident occurred, about two persons died on the spot. One was taken instantly to the mortuary and the other, a woman, was taken by her relatives.
A meat seller, who wished to remain anonymous, said that although he was in the market at that point when the truck crashed into the market, he was one of those who escaped being hurt.
Following the death of the woman, identified as Iya-Alalubosa, the market was plunged into mourning. There was no selling or buying, but repairs were already being carried out by carpenters.
A woman who also refused to disclose her name, said: “I used to be here as early as 7a.m, but on that Monday morning, I really didn’t know what was wrong with my body system. I felt weak and just generally tired. I decided to stay back at home. On getting to the shop in the evening, I was told about the accident. I was told that it occurred at about 9.30a.m. I was surprise. If I was around that morning, I might have been affected because my shop is very close to where it all happened. I thank God.’’
Another woman trader said: “The driver was sacked from where he works due to his recklessness. The truck was given to another person to handle but he double crossed the new driver and took the bus from him. He was trying to run with the truck that was when this terrible incident befell him.’’
The butchers conducted a meeting on how to barricade the market square with drums, filled with cement, in order to prevent such occurrences.
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