UPDATED: Two killed as train crushes commercial bus in Lagos

Two people died while another passenger sustained injuries on Friday when a train collided with a commercial bus around Pen Cinema, Agege, in Lagos.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, said the collusion forced three passengers hanging on the moving train to fall off the train.

An eye witness had earlier told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that three people were killed in the incident.

But Adesina Tiamiyu, LASEMA boss, said one “adult sustained injuries and was transferred to LASUTH.”

“Unfortunately,” he said, “2 (two) other adult male lost their lives and have been taken to mortuary by State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit SHEMU.”

Mr Tiamiyu advised road users to be mindful of safety measures, while also imploring others to desist from hanging on moving train to avoid loss of lives in the state.

A witness, Raji Oladimeji, earlier told NAN that the accident occurred when the bus driver was trying to make U-turn on the rail line.

“We warned the driver not to make U-turn at that particular point when a train was approaching; but he refused.

“So, it was in the process of making the turn that the approaching train crushed the bus where people hanging on the train fell off and three die instantly while other sustained various injuries,” Mr Oladimeji, an electrician, said.

He said some youth set the bus ablaze in anger while the injured were taken to a nearby hospital.

Jerry Oche, the Lagos District Manager, Nigerian Railway Corporation, who confirmed the incident, said the accident happened at 9.30 a.m.

“We were informed that a bus was trying to make a U-turn at the railway line this morning at Agege Pen Cinema area when a moving train crushed it in the process.

“The police are on top of the incident bringing the situation to normalcy as youths went on rampage over the death of people who lost their lives in the accident.

“The information given to us by the police was that a number of people hanging on the train were affected where two people died while many others sustained injuries,” he said.

Ibrahim Farinloye, the Public Information Officer, National Emergency Management Authority, Lagos Office, said the injured had been taken to the hospital.