Commuters escape death as 5-Star pedestrian bridge collapses in Lagos

A newly constructed pedestrian bridge has partially collapsed at the Five Stars Bus Stop, heading towards Iyana-Isolo along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway in Lagos.

Eyewitnesses told Vanguard that the incident occurred early Thursday morning around 6:30 am. The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) promptly intervened to address the situation.

Upon LASEMA’s arrival, part of the bridge had fallen, blocking half of the expressway. Investigations by LASEMA revealed that the collapse was caused by an unidentified articulated truck carrying heavy equipment, which collided with the bridge, leading to its structural damage.

Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, stated that a giant forklift was deployed to remove the debris and prevent any potential secondary incidents. He added, “The entire bridge has been cordoned off by the agency’s Response Team, and efforts to decommission the remaining sections of the pedestrian bridge have begun to ensure public safety.”

In another tragic incident, an unidentified man was crushed to death by a moving train early Monday morning at the Ikeja train station in Lagos. Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, confirmed the accident in a statement.

According to reports, the victim was struck while on the railway tracks leading to Iyana-Ipaja. Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene, and the victim’s body was transferred to the morgue for further processing.

The statement read, “LASEMA responded to distress calls via the 767/112 toll-free lines at 8:28 am, activating the Eagle Response Team from Cappa Base. Upon arrival at 9:02 am, the team discovered the body of an adult male on the railway track. Investigations revealed that he had been hit by a moving train earlier that morning.”

“The Agency’s response team recovered the body from the tracks, bagged it, and handed it over to the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU), which has since transferred the body to the morgue for further processing.”