Three members of the same family, a father, mother and their young child, have been confirmed dead following a tragic multi-vehicle collision along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway in the early hours of Tuesday.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) disclosed that the fatal crash occurred at Secretariat inward Otedola Bridge and involved three vehicles: an Audi, a Toyota Camry and a Toyota Corolla.
According to LASTMA, preliminary investigations revealed that the accident was triggered by a heavily loaded truck travelling at excessive speed, which rammed into one of the vehicles from behind.
The force of the impact caused the affected vehicle to lose control and crash into two other moving vehicles, resulting in a deadly chain-reaction collision.
“The tragic accident instantly claimed the lives of three members of the same family, father, mother and their young child, while two other victims sustained critical injuries,” LASTMA said.
The agency described the incident as a stark reminder of the dangers of reckless driving.
In a disturbing twist, the driver of the truck fled the scene with the vehicle immediately after the crash, leaving the victims trapped and critically injured and evading responsibility for the fatal incident.
LASTMA operatives were said to have arrived promptly at the scene, coordinating rescue efforts with other emergency agencies.
LASTMA noted that two critically injured victims trapped in the wreckage were carefully extricated and transported by the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) for urgent medical attention.
According to LASTMA, the bodies of the three deceased family members, who were trapped together in one of the vehicles, were respectfully recovered and handed over to the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) for evacuation.
The agency said the injured survivors were later rushed to the Lagos State Emergency and Trauma Centre at Toll-Gate for comprehensive treatment.
Security operatives from the Isheri Olowora Police Division provided protection and operational support during the rescue operation, while LASTMA officials cleared the accident vehicles from the main carriageway to prevent secondary crashes.
The multi-agency response involved the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), LASAMBUS, SEHMU and the Lagos Fire and Rescue Service.
Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed deep sorrow over what he described as the “unbearable and irreplaceable loss of an entire family.”
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