2 injured as truck falls off Lagos bridge

A truck driver and his motor boy escaped death by the whiskers, as an articulated 40-foot truck fell off from the bridge inward Apapa, yesterday.

The duo, who sustained injuries, were said to have been rushed to the hospital for treatment.

The truck driver with an undisclosed identity was said to be ascending the bridge from Ijora Olopa, inward, when he reportedly lost control.

Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA Mr Adebayo Taofiq, revealed that the truck had a brake failure.

He explained that “the incident happened while the overspeeding truck was climbing the high bridge directly opposite ‘Sifax’ Company by Ijora ‘Olopa’ inward Apapa.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of the articulated 40ft empty flatbed truck lost control due to brake failure while struggling a ‘Right of Way’ (R.O.W) with another fully loaded truck trying to climb the bridge inward Apapa."

“ Immediately the incident happened, other articulated truck drivers around ‘Sifax’ Company supported LASTMA personnel to rescue both the driver and the motor boy who were trapped under the truck.

“ The driver who had a broken skull was rescued in a pool of his blood while the motor boy sustained a waist fracture by his spinal cord.

“ LASTMA Goriola Jimoh ‘Zebra’ (Zone 22) Apapa, who led the rescue operations confirmed that the rescued injured driver and his motor boy were rushed to the General Hospital at Apapa for immediate medical treatment.

“The crashed articulated truck was evacuated by officials of the LASEMA Response Unit (LRU) while LASTMA personnel handed over the case to Policemen from Ijora - Badia Police Station for further investigation.