The Lagos State Government on Friday explained why the ill-fated staff bus, which collided with a train at the Shogunle axis of the state leading to the death of six persons, was overloaded.
It said the bus had to take more than its capacity because the cash crisis forced many workers to opt for the free bus.
Tragedy struck around 8am on Thursday when the driver of the staff bus ignored signals from the officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation and drove into the rail track when a train was fast approaching. The bus driver overtook vehicles waiting for the train to pass and was hit by the passenger train before it could cross the track.
No fewer than six persons were killed while scores had varying degrees of injuries.
Saturday PUNCH gathered that the staff bus had a sitting capacity of about 85, but according to the statement issued by the Chief Medical Director of the Lagos State University Teaching Hopsital on Thursday, 102 victims were brought to the hospital for treatment.
The state Head of Service, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola, while fielding questions from journalists at the hospital on Friday, said the scarcity of the new naira made more people opt for the free transportation provided by the state government.
Muri-Okunola said, “About the capacity of the bus, its capacity is 85. I think the bus was filled to capacity because quite a number of people, due to the cash crunch situation, opted to go with the bus which was free of charge as opposed to commercial transportation. So, yes indeed the bus was moving at full capacity.”
The Head of Service said the fact that the train dragged the bus for about 10 metres probably led to an increase in the number of casualties.
He added, “For the 102 injured persons associated with that accident, we believe that most of them would have been inside the bus. But because the bus was dragged for a long period, covering a distance of almost 100 metres, we are also aware that there were persons that were injured outside the bus.
“That is probably responsible for the higher number of persons that came for those brought to LASUTH for treatment. It is a bit too early to really get the full details from most of the passengers because a lot of them are in pain or have moderate to severe injuries.
“This is not the time for us to overstress them, but as they get better, we will, of course, get more information from them.”
32 survivors discharged
On his part, the state Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, said two people died at the accident scene and four at the various hospitals, 32 survivors had so far been discharged.
He stated, “In total, we treated 102 passengers that were injured or casualties that were involved in the bus-train accident, and out of these we have recorded six fatalities.
“The 19 survivors of the accident were discharged from LASUTH; five from the Toll Gate Trauma Centre and eight from Orile-Agege General Hospital.
“It’s important to note that from about 12 o’clock yesterday (Thursday) till now, we have not lost any other passengers from this accident. So the act of triage was very important in saving lives and reducing the casualty of this ghastly accident.”
Sanwo-Olu visits families
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday paid a condolence visit to the families of the victims of the train accident.
The governor, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Gbenga Akosile, was accompanied by the Head of Service, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola, and some members of the State Executive Council to sympathise with the bereaved families.
Sanwo-Olu, who was received by the three families he visited in Jakande Estate, Oke Afa, and Ikotun, prayed for the families over their loss.
The governor visited the family of a staff member of the Lagos Internal Revenue Service, Esther Rokosu.
He also visited the home of a youth corper, Miss Aina Oreoluwa Juliana, who was serving in the Ministry of Education.
Another victim of the accident whose family the governor and his entourage visited was a Social Welfare Officer in LASUTH, 54-year-old Mrs Victoria Johnson.
Abiodun, Obaseki mourn
Meanwhile, the Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, in a statement on Friday, commiserated with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and residents of the state over the fatal train accident.
He said, “We are saddened by the news of the accident involving a train and the staff bus of the Lagos State Government in the Oshodi area of the state. It is unfortunate and sad. Our prayers are with the families of the deceased. We pray that God will grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. We also pray for quick recovery of those who suffered injuries in the sad incident.”
Also, the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, in a condolence message by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, urged Sanwo-Olu and Lagos residents to take solace in the fact that others were receiving treatment and were fast recuperating.
He stated, “We are deeply pained and shocked by this unfortunate occurrence. It is an avoidable one. We join in the mourning of our dear neighbours, and we pray that God in his mercies will repose the soul of the dead and grant them heavenly passage.”
Similarly, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouk, described the incident as unfortunate and avoidable.
Umar-Farouk in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Nneka Anibeze, in Abuja, said, “I offer my condolences to the government and people of Lagos state as well as families of the victims of this fatal train accident. This is tragic and very unfortunate especially when it could have been avoided by exercising a little patience.
“We need more sensitisation programmes for BRT drivers and other railway line users on the danger of crossing the rail when a train is approaching.”
Meanwhile, the wife of the President-elect, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has urged drivers in the state to be more careful in order to prevent avoidable accidents in the future.
She spoke on Friday when she visited victims of the accident at Gbagada, Toll Gate, and Ikeja GRA. She was accompanied by the wife of the governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, the wife of the deputy governor, Mrs Oluremi Hamzat, and other senior officials.
She said, “From our assessment of the situation, we can see that the patients are in good hands; they are stabilised. We are not God but we are deeply saddened by what has happened. We hope that the drivers are more careful to avoid this in the future. We commiserate with the families that lost their loved ones and wish those who are here speedy recovery.”
Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu both commiserated with the families that lost their loved ones, describing the accident as unfortunate and painful.
