Eric Patrick
A yet-to-be-identified truck driver suffered fractures in both arms after his articulated vehicle fell off the Pen Cinema Bridge in Agege, Lagos, crashing onto two commercial buses below on Saturday.
This was made known in a statement by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Adebayo Taofiq on Saturday.
According to the statement, the driver lost control while maneuvering on the bridge, causing the truck to plunge off the structure.
The statement added that LASTMA officials quickly secured the area to prevent further accidents, while the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) cleared the wreckage to restore traffic flow.
The statement read in part, “Preliminary inquiries suggest that the truck driver, who suffered grievous fractures to both hands, lost control of the vehicle while navigating the Pen Cinema Bridge. Consequently, the truck plunged from the bridge, landing upon the two commercial buses stationed beneath.
“LASTMA Officers, responding with remarkable alacrity, successfully extricated the severely injured driver and immediately entrusted him to officers of the Elere Police Division.
“He was subsequently conveyed to the General Hospital, Ile-Epo, for urgent medical intervention.
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“In a bid to safeguard other road users and forestall secondary incidents, LASTMA personnel swiftly secured the accident site by cordoning off the area and diverting vehicular traffic.
“Thereafter, operatives of the LASEMA Response Unit expeditiously cleared the wreckage, thereby restoring unimpeded traffic flow along the axis.
“Expressing profound concern, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, admonished all motorists—particularly truck operators—to exhibit heightened vigilance and circumspection, especially with the onset of the rainy season.
“He further underscored the imperative of strict compliance with extant road safety protocols and enjoined drivers to adhere to the newly installed speed-limiting devices, a measure strategically deployed to mitigate accidents and promote collective road safety.
“Mr. Bakare-Oki also extended heartfelt wishes for the rapid and full recovery of the injured driver.”