A three-year-old boy and three men lost their lives yesterday in an accident on the popular Kara Bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The boy was strapped to the back of his mother who was riding on a commercial motorcycle when a truck carrying a container hit the bike.
The truck detached from the trunk and plunged into the Ogun River. Witnesses said the truck driver was trying to avert killing the woman and her baby on the motorcycle when he swerved and lost control before he eventually plunged into the river.
At press time, it was not possible to ascertain whether the motorcyclist carrying the woman and her son survived but the baby died while his mother sustained injuries.
Three occupants of the truck - the driver, his assistant otherwise called ‘motor boy’ and another yet-to-be identified person - were trapped in the truck when it plunged into the Ogun River near Kara Cattle Market. They were brought out of the river dead.
For nearly 20 minutes there was confusion as witnesses and sympathisers did not know what to do to rescue the trapped victims. Later, the Lagos State Response Unit with heavy duty equipment arrived the scene.
Other emergency agencies such as the Lagos State Emergency Agency (LASEMA), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASEMBUS), Lagos State Fire Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), policemen from Ojodu Abiodun and Isheri Police Division as well as men of OP Mesa were also on ground to manage the situation.
However, nobody could say if more people were still trapped in the river as only the three men were found trapped in the mangled truck brought out.
But speaking on the incident, the General Manager, LASEMA, Mr. Tiamiyu Adesina, confirmed that three adult males died in the incident.
Adesina added that their bodies were extricated from carcass of the truck head.
He said: “The agency received a distress call through the emergency toll free number 112/767 about 8.45a.m. concerning an accident on Kara Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. On arrival at the scene, the LASEMA Response Team gathered that a 20ft containerised truck was involved in accident.
“Further investigation revealed that the head of the containerised truck detached from it body while on motion inward Karra Bridge and rammed into a motorcycle with the rider and two passengers while the head of the truck plunged into Isheri River. Unfortunately, a three-year-old boy on the motorcycle lost his life while his mother had a fractured leg and they have been moved to the hospital by the FRSC.
“The head of the truck that plunged into the river was, however, recovered from the river with the aid of the heavy duty equipment crane with support from the local divers. Subsequently, three adult males were extricated and recovered from the truck head and handed over to FRSC officials who moved them down to the morgue.”
The GM added that proper investigation would be conducted on the incident, advising motorist, especially articulated truck drivers to always drive within the regulated speed limit and ensure they adhere to road safety regulations.
Meanwhile, the accident led to gridlock which lasted for hours.
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