On Thursday, on the rail tracks opposite the PWD Bus Station in Shogunle, Ikeja, Lagos State, an accident occurred. An oncoming train collided with a staff bus filled with passengers en route to the Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, from Ikotun. Moreover, the train reportedly dragged the bus for some meters before completely stopping.
Next, eyewitness accounts state that the driver entered the rail tracks despite warnings from the flag bearers. There were other motorists waiting to cross the track, and they too warned the bus driver to wait. An eyewitness said, “It all happened in a split second.” One moment, the bus was waiting. Another moment later, he had “jumped” onto the level crossing, causing a crash.
The accident happened at around 7:50 a.m., and there was an emergency response by passersby. Then, it was reported that some passengers tried jumping out while the train was pushing the bus.
Furthermore, another witness came forward to say that the BRT bus driver entered the tracks while other buses were waiting. The driver totally ignored the red flag from the level crossing keeper. Before the train driver could stop, he had already carried the bus some distance.
Again, seeing as the accident happened in the twinkle of an eye, some passersby reported that the bus driver had earphones on. The accident was totally the driver’s fault and his impatience brought us to this mess. He probably thought he could make it across before the train passed.
The Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofiq, noted that the bus was full. Passengers were even standing on the bus. No one knows the reasons for the driver’s rush, as it wasn’t even 8 a.m. yet.
At the hospital
The victims of the crash were rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja. Out of the 85 passengers on the bus, some were rushed to Gbagada General Hospital. Others were taken to the Agege General Hospital and the trauma centre at the toll gate area of the state. The casualties are being treated for different degrees of injuries.
At LASUTH, due to a lack of bed space, most victims were laid out on the helipad of the hospital’s emergency unit. Next, emergency tents had to be laid out. It was noted that the surgical emergency was too small to contain that number of people. Equally important, the hospital management promised that as soon as there were bed spaces available, the patients would be moved.
A number of the patients sustained varying degrees of injuries. Some of them had oxygen cylinders with tubes attached to aid breathing. Further, others had collars around their necks for support. Only a few patients were reportedly in intensive care.
Again, the survivors said that the driver miscalculated, and that was the reason for the train crash. Finally, the bus driver has been arrested and is under investigation.
Related news: Three 40-foot container fall in Lagos