Five dies 13 injured in third mainland bridge crash

No fewer than five people, including two
children, have been confirmed dead and 13
others injured after three vehicles crashed
on the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the accident
happened at about 6pm on Sunday around
the UNILAG Waterfront end of the bridge.
It involved a LAGBUS, a Rover Jeep and a
Hilux pickup.
An official of the Lagos State Traffic
Management Authority told our
correspondent on the telephone that the
accident was caused by the pickup.
He explained that the driver of the truck
drove at top speed and had a blowout
before somersaulting.
He said, “The truck driver was at top
speed when he had a blowout and
somersaulted. The truck crashed into the
other vehicles, including the LAGBUS. In
all, two vehicles somersaulted in the
accident. Five people died and 13 were
injured.”
A resident, Babajide Kabiawu, said there
was an influx of emergency response
teams at the scene of the accident.
“Fire service trucks and ambulances were
seen going to the scene to remove the
corpses and clear the wreckage.
Commercial vehicles are turning back from
the bridge,” he said.
The General Manager of the Lagos State
Emergency Management Agency, Michael
Akindele, confirmed the crash, adding that
two children were among the victims.
He said, “The accident occurred around
6.10 pm on the Third Mainland Bridge
inward Iyana Oworo, by UNILAG
Waterfront. It involved three vehicles, a
LAGBUS, a Hilux truck belonging to a local
vigilante group, and a Rover Jeep.
“Five persons were confirmed dead, among
which were three female adults and two
children (one female and one male). Five
persons were also injured and taken by
LASAMBUS to the Trauma Centre.
“The LASEMA response team towed away
the vehicles from the bridge, while the
dead bodies have been taken by the State
Emergency Health Monitoring Unit to the
Mainland Hospital mortuary.”
Akindele said proper investigation would be
carried out to ascertain the cause of the
accident, urging motorists to avoid
speeding and adhere to traffic rules and
regulations . by chibabynaija1