One person has been killed after a fully loaded truck overturned around the TREM axis of Gbagada, inward Oshodi, Lagos State, on Sunday.
The accident involved a Mercedes-Benz six-wheel truck carrying assorted goods, including sealed bags and newly branded event chairs.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), in a statement by its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, said preliminary investigations suggested that the truck was travelling at high speed when a front tyre suddenly burst, causing the driver to lose control.
An elderly male passenger seated in the front cabin was reportedly thrown out of the vehicle and hit his head against a sharp object, leading to his instant death.
LASTMA said its Night Rescue Team arrived shortly after the incident, secured the scene and evacuated the deceased into a Lagos State Emergency Medical Services ambulance.
Officers of the Pedro Police Division and personnel of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service also assisted in the rescue operation.
The agency explained that the truck could not be immediately removed because of the volume and nature of its cargo. Arrangements were subsequently being made to transfer the goods into another vehicle to facilitate its recovery.
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed sympathy to the family of the deceased, describing the incident as a tragic and preventable loss.
He urged truck operators and other motorists to avoid excessive speeding, conduct regular vehicle inspections and pay close attention to tyre conditions, braking systems and other critical components before embarking on journeys.
Bakare-Oki noted that although sudden mechanical failures could occur, driving at a controlled speed would improve a driver’s ability to respond and potentially reduce the severity of accidents.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to traffic monitoring, emergency response and collaboration with other security and rescue agencies to safeguard road users across Lagos.