Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Sunday morning rescued a seriously injured driver and a motor boy from an empty articulated 40ft flat bed truck that fell off from Ijora bridge, inward Apapa.
A press statement released by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA Mr. Adebayo Taofiq confirmed that the incident happened while the over speeding truck was climbing the high bridge directly opposite ‘Sifax’ Company by Ijora ‘Olopa’ inward Apapa.
Taofiq said the injured driver was rescued by Lastma personnel in a pool of blood gushing out from his head while the motor boy sustained a serious waist fracture by his spinal cord.
According to the statement, preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of the articulated 40ft empty flat bed truck lost total control due to brake failure while struggling a ‘Right of Way’ (R.O.W) with another fully loaded truck trying to climb the High Bridge inward Apapa.
Taofiq explained that “Immediately the unfortunate incident happened, other articulated truck drivers around ‘Sifax’ Company supported Lastma personnel and rescued both the driver and motor boy who were trapped under the truck.
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 Police men from Ijora – Badia Police Station for further investigation.
The General Manager of LASTMA Mr. Bakare Oki however appealed to owners of articulated trucks to always carry out periodic safety training and enlightenment campaigns for their drivers on the need to obey road signs, speed limit while driving on highways within and outside the State.