Tragedy was narrowly averted in the early hours of Saturday when a container-laden truck lost control and crushed a Toyota Sienna minivan along Ikorodu Road in Lagos.
Officials from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority confirmed that their emergency team rescued a man who had been trapped inside the crushed vehicle.
The victim, whose identity remains unknown, survived the terrifying ordeal.
The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. at Idi-Iroko, inbound Maryland. It involved a 40-foot Mack truck and a white Toyota Sienna with registration number LSR 267 GZ.
According to the LASTMA’s spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, initial findings suggest that the truck experienced brake failure, allegedly due to excessive speed.
The impact caused the container to dislodge and collapse onto the Sienna.
“Acting with commendable dispatch, the LASTMA midnight surveillance and rescue unit responded swiftly to distress calls,” Taofiq said.
“Upon arrival, officers employed an array of high-grade rescue apparatus and executed a painstaking extraction operation.
“Their valiant and highly synchronised efforts led to the miraculous rescue of a male occupant who had been pinned within the wreckage of the minivan and was treated by operatives of LASAMBUS.”
Reports indicate that the truck driver fled the scene, possibly fearing mob retaliation or arrest.
While the Sienna was towed to the Anthony Police Station, both the truck and its detached container were moved to LASTMA’s operational base for further investigation.
LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, lauded the emergency team for their swift and skilled response.
“This deeply distressing incident highlights, yet again, the perilous consequences of mechanical laxity, reckless driving, and habitual speeding on our thoroughfares.
“We therefore issue an urgent appeal to all truck operators to uphold the highest safety standards and adhere strictly to extant traffic regulations to forestall further avoidable disasters,” he said.
Bakare-Oki also noted that rescue operations lasted from 1:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m., during which responders worked to ensure the victim’s safety, restore traffic, and clear the route for motorists.