LASTMA also revealed that a vehicle plunged into the Kara River, while two others collided and burst into flames.
By Kehinde Okeowo
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has said at least eight people died after a multiple-truck collision on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway near the Kara Bridge, outward Lagos, on Thursday morning.
LASTMA made the disclosure on Thursday in a post shared on its official X page.
According to the traffic control agency, the tragic accident, which occurred around the Berger axis, involved several heavy-duty trucks.
It went on to reveal that one vehicle plunged into the Kara River, while two others collided and burst into flames.
A footage from TVC News showed thick black smoke rising from the wreckage as firefighters and rescue personnel battled to contain the blaze and recover victims.
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and LASTMA were also seen at the scene trying to restore order and coordinate emergency response efforts.
Speaking via its social media handle, LASTMA wrote, “There’s a report of a multiple road crash involving a truck and a container-laden trailer that went up in flames. Another truck spilled its contents, cartons of biscuits, on the road, while a fourth vehicle, also a container-laden truck, ran into the barrier, causing its carrier to fall off the bridge into the river. Eight casualties have been confirmed.”
It added that recovery operations were ongoing and urged motorists to exercise patience as efforts continued to clear the wreckage and reopen the affected lanes.
“Efforts are in top gear for the recovery and evacuation of the vehicles involved. There is a heavy traffic backlog on Ogunnusi Road and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. LASTMA officers and other emergency responders are on the ground managing the situation,” the statement added.
