The Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Fidet Okhiria, on Thursday blamed the driver of the Lagos State Government Staff bus which collided with a train for the accident that happened earlier in the day.
The staff bus collided with the train on the rail track in the PDW Bus stop area and was dragged to a stop at Sogunle area a bus stop away.
Six bodies have so far been recovered from the scene, while several others are injured, according to the National Emergency Management Agency.
Speaking on the accident, Okhiria told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos, that: “According to the information I gathered at the scene of the incident, they said many cars stopped when they got to the level crossing while the Lagos State Staff Bus driver continued moving, which I don’t know why.
“Maybe the driver thought he could pass before the train got nearer to him.
“He could not pass, then the train crushed the bus.
“That is what we gathered.
“The train was coming from Ijoko to Iddo.”
Okhiria urged Lagos drivers to be more careful when passing through the level crossing to avoid train accidents.
The Managing Director, who was concerned about the lives of the Lagos State staff, appealed to motorists to consider the level crossing at all times.
Okhiria said that when motorists get to the level crossing, they should not ignore the point where they should stop.
The Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Taofiq, Adebayo, had said in a statement that a Lagos State Government staff bus was crushed by a moving train at PWD, Ikeja.
Adebayo who said in a statement that the staff bus was with registration no 04A-48LA, added that “The accident recorded many casualties as the staff bus is fully loaded with govt staff going to the office this morning.”
He said that the enforcement officers of LASTMA were the first emergency responders at the scene of the accident.
Adebayo said they had called other emergency responders to join in the rescue.
