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Tragedy struck, yesterday, afternoon, when a commercial bus suddenly burst into the fire at Iyana-Oworo, Gbagada area of Lagos State, killing no fewer than seven passengers, including a child.
According to an eyewitness, the incident occurred at about 5 pm, as passersby rushed to put out the raging fire.
Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyitolu, confirmed the incident and casualties.
Oke-Osanyitolu said: “Upon arrival at the scene, a commercial bus of 14 passengers, Mazda, with number plate, KJA 699 GY, was discovered to have been gutted by fire.
“Further investigation gathered at the scene revealed that the incident occurred due to recklessness and over-speeding by the driver, which resulted in the fire with 12 passengers trapped.
“Fortunately, the driver escaped with some burns, three female adults were rescued and rushed to Gbagada General Hospital, while a male adult was attended to by LASAMBUS at the scene.
“Unfortunately, seven victims were burnt to death, including four female, two male adults and one male child in the bus.”
It was gathered that the burnt bodies of the victims were later bagged by the agency’s LRT Paramedics, Lagos State Ambulance Service, and LASAMBUS officials and handed over to State Environmental Health Management Unit, SEHMU.
Men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, official who cordoned off the scene of the incident subsequently, removed the burnt vehicle from the road.
Police officials also provided rescue and security operations.