Tragedy as Truck Overturns in Lagos, One Dead

One person has died after a fully loaded truck overturned at the TREM area of Gbagada, heading toward Oshodi in Lagos State.

The accident happened on Sunday. It involved a Mercedes-Benz six-tire truck carrying different items, including sealed bags and new event chairs.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority shared this information in a statement from Adebayo Taofiq, the Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department.

The authority said early findings showed that the truck was speeding when one of its front tyres burst. This made the driver lose control, leading to the truck overturning.

An elderly man sitting in the front cabin was thrown out during the crash. He hit his head on a sharp object.

“The impact proved fatal, resulting in his instantaneous death,” the statement read.

LASTMA's Night Rescue Team was on patrol across major roads in the state when they arrived at the scene quickly and blocked off the area.

The team moved the deceased from the road into a Lagos State Emergency Medical Services ambulance to avoid further risks and more accidents.

The rescue operation also had help from the Pedro Police Division and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.

The authority noted that they could not recover the overturned truck immediately due to the size and nature of its cargo.

They mentioned that plans were in place to move the items into another truck before recovering the vehicle.

Olalekan Bakare-Oki, the General Manager of LASTMA, expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased. He called the incident a painful and preventable loss.

Bakare-Oki warned heavy-duty vehicle drivers against speeding. He said speeding reduces reaction time, affects vehicle stability, and makes road accidents worse.

He pointed out that the crash's impact could have been less severe if the truck was moving at a safer speed, even with the sudden tyre burst.

He urged heavy-duty vehicle drivers, commercial transporters, and other road users to drive safely, check their vehicles regularly, and pay attention to tyre conditions, brakes, and other important parts before starting their journeys.

He advised drivers to stay calm and use proper vehicle-control skills when they face sudden mechanical issues.

Bakare-Oki stressed that vehicle fitness, speed control, and following traffic rules are key for safe driving, especially for heavy-duty vehicles in busy urban areas.

He reaffirmed LASTMA’s commitment to monitoring traffic, responding to emergencies, and working with other agencies to protect lives in Lagos State.