42 passengers escape death as BRT bus caught fir

Forty-two passengers, who boarded the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT), yesterday, escaped death after the bus conveying them to Ikorodu suddenly caught fire.

According to eye witnesses, the incident happened on Monday around 1pm, at Aruna bus stop. The bus was conveying the passengers from Lagos Island to Ikorodu.

The driver of the bus was said to have first observed smoke from the bus around Agric bus stop area and came to check. Thinking it was nothing serious, he boarded and drove off.

A few minutes to reaching Ikorodu round about, they heard a loud sound from the engine side which caught fire. As fire engulfs the bus, the driver jumped out and started screaming for help from passersby.

Panicked passengers started screaming and frantically attempted to jump from the bus. In the process of escaping, some of the passengers sustained injuries.

People were also said to have rushed from different directions, armed with buckets, water and detergent, to put off the fire.

Another set of residents and some of the officials of the transport company came with fire extinguishers.

One of the survivors, who spoke on anonymity said: “It was God that saved every one of us from being consumed by the fire. I joined the bus from Maryland, heading to Ikorodu, mid-way into the journey; we discovered that smoke was coming from the engine section of the bus.

“Immediately, some passengers who sat the back seat of the bus noticed the smoke, they called the attention of the driver to it. When we got to Agric bus, the driver came down to check what was going on and later continued with the journey. A few minutes after we left Agric bus stop, almost getting to Ikorodu round about, we heard a loud sound and suddenly there was fire!”

Another passenger, who identified himself simply as Kunle, said that before the arrival of the officials of the transport company, some passersby had come to their rescue and were attempting to put off the fire.

Kunle added: “I thank God we were rescued; those who sustained injuries were rushed to Ikorodu General Hospital for treatment.”