Several passengers sustained injuries in a road accident involving a government-owned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) at Araromi, Iyana Ipaja, heading towards Dopemu in Lagos State.
The BRT bus, which departed from the Iyana Ipaja BRT Bus Terminal en route to Obalende, was involved in the accident around 6:35 a.m. on Friday.
Nosa Okunbor, the Head of Public Affairs for the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), confirmed the incident in a statement.
According to him, the accident occurred when the bus driver swerved to avoid hitting a pedestrian and lost control.
The injured passengers have been taken to an undisclosed hospital for treatment.
The statement reads, “Following distress calls to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, via the 767/112 Toll-Free Emergency lines at 6:35 a.m., the Agency deployed its Dolphin Response Team from the Igando Base.
“Upon arrival, the team discovered that the BRT bus with registration number BDG 390 XR, loaded to capacity, had fallen on its side at the scene.
“Investigations revealed that the bus driver was attempting to avoid a pedestrian hawking plantain from a wheelbarrow, who suddenly dashed across the BRT corridor. In trying to avoid the pedestrian, the driver lost control, causing the bus to climb the road divider and fall on its side.”
Fortunately, no fatalities were reported, though many passengers sustained critical injuries and were taken to a hospital before the arrival of the Dolphin Response Team.
All necessary safety measures have been implemented to ensure the safety of responders and road users during the operation.
Primary responders are working together to recover the fallen BRT bus and restore normalcy to the BRT corridor.
The bus has since been lifted upright and towed to Moshalashi Police Station near Alimosho roundabout, with the assistance of a tow truck provided by the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) at the scene.
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