At least three people were killed, and several others injured in a series of multiple accidents along the Maryland axis of Lagos State in the early hours of Sunday.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed the fatalities in a statement issued by the agency’s Head of Public Affairs, Nosa Okunbor.
According to Okunbor, the first accident occurred when a diesel-laden tanker experienced brake failure, crashing into several vehicles and claiming the lives of three individuals. An unspecified number of people were injured.
LASEMA’s response team arrived at the scene around 1:13 am and encountered a second accident involving a container truck that collided with a MACK truck. The driver of the container truck suffered a leg injury.
“The oil tanker, registration unknown, was fully loaded with diesel and reportedly suffered a brake failure while in motion, leading to a collision with multiple vehicles,” Okunbor recounted.
He added that the second crash, involving an articulated truck carrying a 40-foot container, occurred due to reckless driving and speeding, causing further traffic chaos. Both the container truck and the MACK truck were unregistered.
“Unfortunately, three fatalities were recorded, and several critically injured victims had already been transported to nearby hospitals before emergency teams arrived,” Okunbor said.
The vehicles involved included two Volkswagen Vanagon buses, one Mitsubishi Space Bus, two mini-buses (Korope), and a Honda car.
Emergency responders, including LASEMA, the police, and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, secured the area, temporarily closing the road and bridge to recover the vehicles and manage the traffic disruption.
