At least six commuters were injured on Tuesday following a serious road accident involving a commercial Volkswagen bus on the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos.
The incident occurred at the Adekunle corridor, inward Iyana-Oworonsoki, and involved a fully loaded commercial bus with registration number KRD 436 XF, according to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA.
Preliminary findings by the agency revealed that the vehicle, which was conveying passengers alongside assorted household items, reportedly suffered a sudden brake failure while in motion. The mechanical fault caused the driver to lose control, leading to the bus overturning on the busy bridge.
LASTMA disclosed that two adult males and four adult females sustained serious injuries in the crash, while one of the passengers suffered a critical eye injury at the point of impact.
Operatives of the agency, who were on routine traffic surveillance along the corridor, immediately mobilised to the scene and carried out coordinated rescue operations.
“Upon arrival, our officers swiftly extricated the trapped victims from the wreckage and ensured they received urgent medical attention,” LASTMA said in a statement.
The agency added that Good Samaritans assisted in conveying four of the injured passengers to a nearby hospital, while officers of the Nigeria Police Force, Adekunle Division, transported a male victim who sustained multiple fractures to a medical facility for intensive care.
Another injured passenger was treated on-site by officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) before further medical arrangements were made.
To prevent secondary accidents and restore vehicular movement on the bridge, LASTMA officials promptly removed the crashed vehicle from the road, easing traffic congestion in the area.
Reacting to the incident, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa, expressed sympathy to the injured passengers and their families, wishing them a speedy recovery.
Giwa warned commercial vehicle operators against overloading and poor vehicle maintenance, stressing that mechanical negligence remained a major cause of road crashes in the state.
“Commercial operators must stop endangering lives through overloading and failure to conduct proper mechanical checks, particularly on braking systems, before embarking on journeys,” he said.
He reaffirmed the Lagos State Government’s commitment to protecting lives and property on its roads, adding that avoidable negligence and mechanical irresponsibility would continue to attract strict sanctions.
The accident caused temporary traffic disruption along the Third Mainland Bridge before normal vehicular movement was restored.
