By Our Reporter
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said it efficiently coordinated traffic control and emergency response following a tragic road traffic accident that claimed the life of a female passenger and left six others seriously injured over the weekend at New Castle Bus Stop inward Gbagada along the Oworonsoki-Apapa Expressway, Lagos.
LASTMA made this known in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Mr. Adebayo Taofiq, saying that reports revealed that a Volkswagen commercial bus (LSD 654 XY) veered off course and violently rammed into a roadside culvert along the corridor, following which a female passenger from the vehicle was forcefully ejected onto the expressway due the collision impact with 6 others, including the driver seriously injured with multiple fractures.
The Agency noted that, in a tragic turn of events, an oncoming articulated trailer approaching the scene was unable to forestall the sudden occurrence and consequently ran over the passenger who had fallen on the roadway, resulting in her immediate death.
"Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority monitoring vehicular movements around the Gbagada axis responded with exceptional promptitude and professional dexterity by swiftly activating a comprehensive emergency traffic management protocol around the accident corridor.
"In order to safeguard other motorists and forestall the possibility of a secondary crash, LASTMA officials temporarily cordoned off the entire expressway to enable the seamless evacuation of the deceased, the six injured passengers and the wreckage of the Volkswagen commercial bus involved in the lone fatal accident.
"Six other occupants of the commercial vehicle, including the driver sustained varying degrees of severe injuries during the unfortunate incident, while the driver of the articulated trailer reportedly fled the scene without stopping.
"Security men from the Pedro Police Division promptly arrived at the scene to provide vital security reinforcement for traffic management officials and emergency responders while maintaining orderliness around the accident vicinity.
"In furtherance of coordinated emergency rescue operations, officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) swiftly evacuated the six seriously injured victims including the driver who reportedly sustained a fractured leg and conveyed them to a nearby medical facility for immediate treatment.
"Similarly, personnel of the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) respectfully evacuated the remains of the deceased female passenger from the accident scene.
"Following the successful evacuation exercise, LASTMA operatives meticulously cleared all obstructions along the corridor and subsequently restored normal vehicular movement on the main carriageway of the Expressway," the statement said.
Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, conveyed his profound condolences to the bereaved family of the deceased passenger, praying that Almighty God grants them the fortitude to bear the painful and irreparable loss.
Bakare-Oki also extended heartfelt wishes for the swift and full recovery of the six injured passengers currently receiving medical attention.
The LASTMA boss further reaffirmed the Authority’s unwavering commitment to sustained on-going public enlightenment campaigns aimed at promoting road safety consciousness across the state.
He emphasized the imperative responsibility of vehicle owners and commercial transport operators to ensure that their vehicles remained in optimal mechanical condition particularly the braking system before embarking on any journey within or outside Lagos State.
According to him, "strict adherence to routine vehicle maintenance remains an indispensable safeguard against preventable road traffic accidents and a critical measure for the preservation of human lives on our highways."
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