Truck driver loses both legs as Epe bridge crash kills four, injures 13

By Adebola Muili

Four people, including a commercial bus driver, have died while 13 passengers sustained critical injuries in a collision involving a truck and a fully loaded commercial bus on Alaro City Bridge, inward T-Junction, Epe, Lagos State.

The truck driver also sustained severe injuries, with both legs reportedly severed in the crash that left several occupants trapped in the wreckage of the vehicles.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday by its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq.

According to the agency, preliminary accounts indicated that the accident occurred when the truck rammed into the commercial bus as both vehicles were traversing the single-lane bridge, resulting in a violent collision that left several occupants trapped in the wreckage.

LASTMA said its operatives, with support from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), coordinated the evacuation of the four deceased victims to the mortuary.

The Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) also responded to the incident, conveying the 13 critically injured victims to the nearest medical facility for emergency treatment.

Security personnel from the Epe Police Division provided security support throughout the rescue operation, helping to protect emergency responders and ensure the orderly management of activities at the scene.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed condolences to the families of the deceased, describing the loss of lives as distressing.

He sympathised with the bereaved families and wished the injured victims a speedy and complete recovery.

Bakare-Oki stressed the need for motorists to exercise greater caution and comply with traffic regulations, particularly when navigating bridges, narrow carriageways and other road sections where limited space could increase the risk of serious accidents.

He urged drivers to recognise the dangers associated with reckless driving and adopt responsible driving practices to protect their lives and those of other road users.

Meanwhile, LASTMA personnel deployed to the affected corridor implemented traffic management measures to control vehicular movement, ease congestion caused by the accident and gradually restore normal traffic flow.

The agency said its officers remained actively engaged in managing the resulting traffic backlog and facilitating the orderly movement of vehicles along the affected route.

LASTMA reiterated its commitment to protecting lives, promoting road safety and ensuring the prompt management of traffic incidents through collaboration with emergency response agencies and security organisations.

The authority advised motorists to maintain safe following distances, observe prescribed speed limits and avoid dangerous driving manoeuvres, particularly on bridges and narrow roads where a moment of recklessness could result in fatal consequences.