There was pandemonium at Maryland in Lagos State on Saturday morning after a BRT bus burst into flames, forcing passengers to scamper for safety.
Eyewitnesses say the driver and conductor abandoned the bus and fled, leaving passengers to their fate.
The bus, which was heading to CMS from Ikorodu, caught fire in transit, sending thick smoke into the air and sparking fear among road users and pedestrians around the busy Maryland axis.
Our correspondent who was at the scene gathered that the fire began as a faint smoke from the driver’s side.
One of the passengers recounted that they initially assumed the smoke was coming from a nearby vehicle, but quickly realised it was from their bus when the situation escalated.
“As soon as we saw that the smoke grew bigger, we rushed off the bus before it burst into flames,” the visibly shaken passenger narrated, adding that no one sustained injuries in the incident.
Emergency responders, including officials of the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Fire Service, and neighbourhood security personnel, swiftly arrived at the scene to contain the blaze and restore order.
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However, what has sparked outrage among witnesses and survivors is the reported conduct of the bus crew.
According to passengers, both the driver and the conductor fled the moment the fire started.
“They just ran off and left us there. They didn’t even turn back. It’s as if they already knew the bus had issues,” a passenger alleged.
Authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the incident or confirm whether the driver and conductor have been located.
Investigations are expected to commence into the possible cause of the fire and the actions of the bus crew.