Train crushes victim hand, leg after trouser hooks rail

A man’s leg and hand were crushed yesterday by a train along Ajayi Farm Bus Stop, opposite Adegbola Street, Ikeja, Lagos State, after his trouser got hooked to a protruding iron on the railway.

According to eye witnesses, the man was rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, where he is presently battling to live.

It was also gathered that the victim was about to cross the railway, but didn’t realized that the train was almost on him.

Some people said that the noises from vehicle to Oshodi and Sango-Ota muffled the blaring horn of the train.

It was further said that when the victim finally realized his predicament, he tried to run, but discovered his trouser was hooked to an iron on the rail.

One of the witnesses said: “The noise of the moving cars along the Oshodi Iyana- Ipaja Expressway wouldn’t allow a passerby to hear the sound of an oncoming train.”

One of the eye witnesses, Clifford Anyanwu, said that before the victim noticed the train, it was too late.

Anywanwu added: " Although the man tried to escape from the railway, but it was clearly too late. His trouser got hooked to a protruding iron in the rail. He tried frantically to unhook his trouser from the rail, but it was impossible. Right there and then, the train was upon him. The train crushed one of his legs and one of his hands. Blood flowed. The man wept profusely and even some women cried with him. Many prayed that he survives the tragedy."

Other eye witnesses insisted that the driver of the train, which was heading towards the Oshodi direction, didn’t quickly remember to horn from afar to alert people it was approaching.

An eyewitness, who simply identified herself as Mama Adesua, said: "There were two men who tried to cross the railway. One quickly noticed that the train was coming and quickly crossed, but the victim paid dearly for it. All efforts he made to escape proved abortive because he was under tension. The rail iron held his trouser. It was that singular act that caused the train to crush his hand and leg.

I and other women cried like babies when we saw him in a pool of his blood."

It was gathered that policemen, attached to Man Centre Police Station, were at the scene. The police, alongside with some sympathizers, rushed the victim to LASUTH.