Eight people have been confirmed dead following a multiple-truck collision on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway near Kara Bridge, outward Lagos, on Thursday morning.
The tragic accident, which occurred around the Berger axis, involved several heavy-duty trucks.
In a post published on X on Thursday, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said a truck and a container-laden trailer went up in flames due to an accident.
Eyewitnesses said one of the vehicles plunged into the Kara River, while two others collided and burst into flames, triggering panic and a major traffic gridlock on the ever-busy highway.
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, swiftly moved to the scene to restore order and coordinate emergency response efforts.
Television footage from TVC News showed thick black smoke rising from the wreckage as firefighters and rescue personnel battled to contain the blaze and recover victims.
LASTMA said eight casualties were recorded in the crash.
“There’s a report of a multiple road crash involving a truck and a container-laden trailer that went up in flames. Another truck spilled its contents, cartons of biscuits, on the road, while a fourth vehicle, also a container-laden truck, ran into the barrier, causing its carrier to fall off the bridge into the river. Eight casualties have been confirmed,” the statement read.
The agency added that recovery operations were ongoing and urged motorists to exercise patience as efforts continued to clear the wreckage and reopen the affected lanes.
“Efforts are in top gear for the recovery and evacuation of the vehicles involved. There is a heavy traffic backlog on Ogunnusi Road and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. LASTMA officers and other emergency responders are on the ground managing the situation,” the statement added.
The collision caused severe traffic congestion across adjoining routes, with vehicular movement crawling from Berger through Ogunnusi Road and stretching further toward Mowe.
Emergency officials were still on site at press time to recover the fallen truck, evacuate burnt vehicles, and ensure the safe reopening of the highway to traffic.
