Etim Ekpimah
Seven persons were confirmed dead and many others injured as a train crushes a Lagos State Staff bus at Public Works Department (PWD) Bus Stop, in Ikeja, Lagos State.
It was gathered that the bus with the emblem of Lagos State Government and marked with number 250033, was hit in the middle by the train while it attempted to cross the track, and dragged it a few metres.
Eyewitnesses, especially passengers on board the train, blamed the driver of the bus for not heeding the blare of the train horn from as far as Ikeja before PWD, the spot of the tragic incident.
Lasilkiin reports that the driver made an attempt to escape but was held by bystanders.
It was learnt that victims of the accident included persons hanging on the train which took off from the Ijoko area of Ogun State.
It was, however, gathered that it took over 30 minutes before any ambulance arrived on the scene to carry out rescue services by well-meaning individuals.
An eyewitness, Mr Musa Hayatou alongside a number of eyewitnesses blamed the unfortunate incident on the absence of officials of the Nigeria Railway Corporation who control movement at terminals.
Hayatou expressed disappointment over the late arrival of the emergency service providers, despite the closeness of the scene to the Lagos State General Hospital and Police State Command.
According to the rescue team, three persons are already confirmed dead while 84 receiving treatment operations by a combined team of Emergency Management agencies, LASAMBUS and LASUTH are ongoing as of the time of this report.