By Lukman Olabiyi
The container-laden truck which fell on a commercial bus at Ojuelegba Bridge in Lagos has claimed the lives of nine persons including children, yesterday.
According to witness, the deceased were inside the commercial bus when the incident happened, four of them were males, three were females, plus one boy and one girl.
Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, permanent secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), also confirmed the number.
He said: “Upon arrival at the scene, a truck conveying a 20ft container was found to have landed on top of a commercial bus.
“Further investigations revealed that the bus was picking up passengers when the truck lost control and fell over the side of the bridge.
“After suspending the container load with the aid of the agency’s forklift and cutting off the top of the bus with light rescue equipment, a single adult woman was extricated alive and taken to the trauma centre.”
The agency said the Nigeria police will conduct further investigation on the “removal of the barriers on the bridge aimed at preventing trucks from ascending”.
However, contrary to the agency narrative on how the incident happened, another witness account revealed that the truck fell while trying to prevent a bus from overtaking it.