Four critically injured as truck crashes into vehicles, motorcycles at Mile 2

By Adebola Muili

Four persons sustained critical injuries after a truck conveying a 40-foot container crashed into another truck, a commercial bus and nine commercial motorcyclists at First Gate, inward Mile 2, Lagos on Tuesday.

The victims, comprising three males and a female, reportedly sustained multiple fractures to their arms and legs in the multiple-vehicle crash.

The incident involved a Mack truck carrying a fully laden 40-foot container, another truck conveying a 20-foot container and a T4 commercial bus marked AAA 723 YF.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), in a statement by its Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq, said preliminary findings indicated that the Mack truck suffered an apparent brake failure, resulting in loss of control and a chain-reaction collision.

It said LASTMA operatives conducting traffic management operations in the area responded promptly to the crash and commenced rescue and traffic control operations.

The injured victims were extricated from the scene by the LASTMA officers and handed over to security personnel from the Roro Police Division, who conveyed them to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention.

LASTMA also secured the accident scene, managed the resulting traffic disruption and facilitated the removal of the damaged vehicles and other obstructions to restore normal vehicular movement along the corridor.

The driver of the Mack truck and other drivers involved in the crash were handed over to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution, subject to the outcome of the investigation.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, sympathised with the injured victims and their families and wished them a speedy and complete recovery.

Bakare-Oki expressed concern over the continued operation of commercial motorcycles on restricted highways, particularly along heavily trafficked corridors where their interaction with articulated vehicles and other heavy-duty vehicles could worsen the consequences of road crashes.

He urged motorists, commercial transport operators and other road users to exercise caution, obey traffic regulations and ensure that their vehicles undergo regular and comprehensive mechanical inspections before being deployed on the roads.

“Operators of articulated vehicles, in particular, must accord meticulous attention to the condition of their braking systems, tyres, steering mechanisms and other safety-critical components before embarking on any journey,” he said.

The LASTMA boss said compliance with traffic regulations remained essential to reducing avoidable crashes, particularly on strategic transport corridors experiencing substantial vehicular and commercial activities.