Wale Jagun
Three students of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASIUSTECH), on Saturday died in an accident involving multiple vehicles in Ikorodu.
Seven others also sustained varying degrees of injuries.
This was confirmed by the spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofiq. he said the accident occurred after the driver of a sand-laden truck lost control due to brake failure and rammed into other vehicles along the busy corridor.
“In an incident of profound tragedy that cast a pall of grief over the Ikorodu metropolis, three promising students of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Ikorodu, two males and one female, lost their lives instantaneously in a fatal multiple-vehicle collision that occurred earlier today at Powerline Junction, before Aleje, inward Ikorodu Roundabout.
“Seven others, including tricycle operators, sustained grievous injuries in the horrifying crash. The catastrophic accident involved a tipper truck heavily laden with sand (unregistered), a Toyota Corolla (SMK 42 AJ), an MPV bus, and four tricycles.
“Preliminary investigations by traffic operatives revealed that the tipper, which was travelling at an excessive speed, suffered mechanical brake failure, causing the driver to lose control. The runaway vehicle careened into other road users, colliding forcefully with multiple vehicles and tricycles in its path, leading to devastating wreckage and loss of lives.”
He added that through the combined efforts of emergency responders, including officials of LASTMA, injured victims were rescued and taken to a nearby hospital.
“Together, they swiftly conveyed seven critically injured victims to nearby medical facilities for urgent treatment, while the three deceased casualties were evacuated and deposited at the General Hospital, Ikorodu mortuary.
“Following the evacuation, all wrecked vehicles were cleared from the accident scene by LASTMA personnel to restore order and ensure free traffic flow along the corridor,” he stated.
Meantime, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, has expressed profound grief and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of the deceased students, while praying for divine strength and consolation to enable them bear the irreparable loss.
Efforts to get LASUSTECH response to the unfortunate incident proved abortive.
