At least seven people were confirmed dead yesterday when a commercial bus reportedly caught fire in the Iyana Oworo area of Lagos State.
Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, who made the disclosure in a statement, yesterday, said the accident involved a 4 passenger Mazda with registration number KJA 699 GY.
He blamed the accident on recklessness and over-speeding by the driver, which he said resulted in the fire with 12 passengers trapped.
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The statement reads: ‘Upon arrival at the scene, a commercial bus of 14 passenger Mazda with registration number KJA 699 GY was discovered to have been gutted with fire.
He stated that the accident could be blamed on recklessness and over-speeding by the driver, which he said resulted in the fire with 12 passengers trapped.
‘Further investigation gathered at the scene revealed that the incident occurred due to recklessness and over-speeding by the driver which resulted in the fire with 12 passengers trapped.
‘Fortunately, the driver escaped with some burns, three female adults were rescued and rushed to Gbagada General Hospital, while a male adult was attended to by LASAMBUS at the scene.
‘Unfortunately seven victims were burnt to death, including four females, two male adults and one male child. All the remains have been bagged by the agency’s LRT Paramedics, LASAMBUS officials and handed over to SEHMU.’
Meanwhile, as at the time of filing this report arrangements had been made by LASTMA officials at the scene for removal of the burnt vehicle from the road. Light rail transit (LRT) alongside Lagos Response Unit (LRU) Paramedics LASTMA, LASAMBUS, SHEMU and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) were the responders at the scene.
