Two trucks carrying 20-foot containers toppled, killing a mother and her kid at Mile 2, near Freeman Market in Apapa, Lagos State.
This was revealed in a statement on Sunday by LASTMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq.
According to Taofiq, the victims suffered fatal injuries as a result of being trapped beneath the toppled trucks and their contents.
“Over the weekend, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority responded to a devastating road traffic incident at Mile 2, by Freeman Market, inward Apapa, where two heavily loaded 20-foot containerised trucks overturned, killing a mother and her child,” he said.
“Both victims suffered catastrophic injuries that left their remains unrecognisable, trapped beneath the overturned trucks and their massive containerised cargoes during the terrifying incident.”
In order to evacuate the casualties, retrieve the trucks, and control traffic, he added that LASTMA rescue and recovery teams arrived at the spot.
According to Taofiq, in order to avoid traffic jams and subsequent collisions, the impacted route was temporarily blocked off and drivers were redirected onto a nearby service lane.
He stated that the agency utilized a crane and a powerful tow vehicle to lift the overturned trucks and their cargo containers.
He mentioned that police personnel ensured safety during the retrieval operation, while the victims’ bodies were transported to the Police Mortuary in Yaba for required procedures.
In response to the incident, LASTMA’s General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, offered condolences to the grieving family and urged a comprehensive investigation to ascertain the reason for the crash.
Taofiq cited Bakare-Oki as calling on pertinent security agencies to determine if mechanical failures, overloading, incorrect cargo distribution, driver carelessness, or other elements played a role in the incident.
The LASTMA leader also emphasized the importance of truck operators adhering to road safety rules, performing routine vehicle checks, and making sure that loads were adequately secured.
He stated, “The safeguarding of human life is the utmost priority,” urging drivers, especially those of heavy-duty articulated trucks, to make sure their vehicles are fit for the road and comply with established safety regulations.
Bakare-Oki emphasized that safe driving and adequate vehicle upkeep were crucial to avoiding unnecessary fatalities on Lagos roads.
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