*6 dead, many injured
*FG begins investigation
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
Several members of the Lagos State Civil Service, who said bye to families as they left for work Thursday morning, will not be returning to the homes but mortuary, while others land in the hospitals due to a tragedy that struck midway to workplace.
This was because the staff BRT bus, in which they were being conveyed to work, got crushed by a moving train that rammed into it on a rail track, killing some of the occupants while injuring others.
The unfortunate early morning crash, involving 85 passangers, occurred at the PWD Bus Stop in the Ikeja area of the state.
The DEFENDER reports that six persons have been confirmed dead by emergency responders, and over 82 persons injured and rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) in Ikeja.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who visited the hospital, said two persons died at the scene of the accident and four at the hospital.
He said 85 passengers were involved in all, 42 with moderate injuries, 29 with serious injuries while eight have mild injuries.
It was gory sights to behold as passersby watched in horror, even as dead and injured victims were picked from the bus which was hit right on the rail tracks.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) spokesman, Adebayo Taofiq, said though the bus involved in the crash was the same as the regular BRT buses in the state, it bus was a staff bus of the Lagos State Government.
Also, a spokesman for the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Nosa Okunbor, said over 82 others injured and evacuated to LASUTH.
“The State Government staff bus was trying to cross the PWD/Sogunle rail crossing while the train coming into Lagos from Abeokuta trapped the bus on its rail,” he added.
First responders later arrived the scene for rescue operations.
It will be recalled that fatal cases of vehicle-train collision have resulted in casualties over the years.
The last time such case occurred was in December 2022 when a passenger train from Kaduna to Abuja crushed a middle-aged woman to death on the rail track around the Kubwa area of the nation’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Stakeholders and safety experts have repeatedly called for preventive measures to stop the recurrence but not much can be said to have been done by the concerned authorities.
Governor Sanwo-Olu visits victims at hospital
In the meantime, Governor Sanwo-Olu has visited injured victims of the crash at LASUTH.
“I am deeply saddened by the news of the train/bus accident . The vehicle was conveying staff of the Lagos state government, our staff who serve the state in different capacities,” the governor said in a statement.
“Let’s say a prayer for the families and a prayer of mercy and protection for our state. My thoughts are with the victims and their families during this difficult time.”
In the same vein, the Federal Government, in a reaction by Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has directed the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau experts to commence immediate investigation into the accident.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Affairs, James Odaudu, the Minister described the accident as unfortunate and assured the public of the capacity of the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the accident and proffer ways of preventing such in the future.
He solicited the cooperation of members of the public as investigation by the NSIB team commences.
He commiserated with the government and people of Lagos State, especially those who have lost their loved ones, on the sad event, and prayed for the quick recovery of those injured in the accident.
