No fewer than eight people sustained varying degrees of injuries on Wednesday after a fully-loaded 18-seater commercial bus had a lone crash on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.

It was gathered that the driver of the vehicle was speeding when the two back tyres burst around 3pm.

It was said to have somersaulted several times and could have plunged into the lagoon but for the median on the bridge which blocked it.

While some of the victims lost their limbs, others had broken heads and slight bruises.


 
The vehicle, with number plate, Lagos FST 839 XM, was said to have left the Ajah motor park and was heading towards the Oshodi area, when the accident occurred.

A witness told The News that the driver had been warned several times to reduce his speed but he never listened.

He said, “The incident happened around 3pm. The vehicle took off from Ajah and was heading towards Oshodi. But the driver was speeding and attempts to caution him fell on deaf ears.

“After leaving the UNILAG end of the bridge, the driver lost control of the bus as the two back tyres burst and the vehicle veered off the road. It crashed into the median and almost fell into the lagoon.

“Eight people were seriously injured, while 10 escaped unscathed.”

Some of the passengers who escaped unhurt were sighted by our correspondent praising God, while others who sustained injuries were writhing in pains.

The accident caused a traffic snarl on the road.

Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority later arrived the scene to remove the blood-stained bus from the road to ease the traffic.

The injured victims were taken by the Lagos State Ambulance Service to the Gbagada General Hospital for treatment.

The Public Relations Officer of the LASTMA, Mamud Hassan, when contacted, confirmed the accident.