A yet-to-be-identified cart pusher has lost his life in a container accident which occurred in the Dopemu area of Lagos State on Sunday.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) disclosed this in a statement posted online on Sunday, revealing that the container was fully loaded with construction stones.
According to the traffic control agency, the accident happened when the truck driver lost control of the vehicle. He took to his heels immediately the freight container dropped off from the flat deck.
The relatives of the casualty, who are northerners, reportedly thronged the scene of the incident with lethal objects. However, the situation has been calmed and the body of the deceased has been handed over to them.
The statement signed by Adebayo Taofiq, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, read;
“Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) today recovered a [sic] dead body of a cart pusher trapped under a fallen container at Goye by UBA inward Dopemu area of Lagos.
“Lastma Badmus Abdul-Akeem ‘Zebra’ (zone 32 Dopemu Akowonjo), who led the rescue team, disclosed that the fallen container truck fully loaded with concrete stones fell on a cart pusher who died instantly.
“Lastma Abdul-Akeem disclosed further that preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of the container lost full concentration while dragging road on top speed with another trailer before falling off the road blocking the entire BRT corridor inward Dopemu.
“After noticing a trapped body underneath a fallen container, we called the LASEMA Response Unit (LRU) and Policemen from Gowon Divisional Police Headquarters for immediate rescue operations and investigations.“While LASEMA Response Unit (LRU) evacuated the fallen container off the BRT corridor, the recovered dead was handed over to members of the Hausa community around Dopemu area after they mobilized themselves to scene of the accident with dangerous weapons.
“The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Bolaji Oreagba, while consoling with the family of deceased urged truck drivers and other motoring public to always adhere strictly to safety standard while driving on highways across the State.”
He, however, maintained that speed limit road signs were erected to guide truck drivers and other motoring public on speed limitations across the State.
