The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, has successfully contained two separate emergency incidents in Lagos involving a truck accident at Kara Bridge and a fire outbreak in Alakuko, with no fatalities recorded in either incident.
In a statement by the Head of Public Affairs Mr Afolabi Olawale, said the truck accident occurred around 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday at Kara Bridge, where a 40-foot trailer loaded with bags of flour overturned after crashing into the bridge’s side rail.
“Preliminary investigations by LASEMA indicated that the accident was caused by overloading, which made the driver lose control of the vehicle. The driver sustained severe injuries and was evacuated to a nearby hospital by officers of the Nigeria Police Force”
“Emergency responders carried out a transloading operation to move the flour into another trailer, while the damaged truck was recovered with the aid of two private towing vehicles”
LASEMA said a heavy-duty crane would be required to complete the evacuation because of the extensive damage to the truck. Traffic management at the scene was coordinated by LASTMA, TRACE and the Nigeria Police to ensure the free flow of vehicles.
In a separate incident, LASEMA responded to a fire outbreak at a storey building located at No. 15 Olayemi Olaniran Street, AmJay Hotel, Alakuko, in Alimosho Local Government Area.
Investigations revealed that the fire was triggered by an electrical surge from a prepaid meter on the top floor, affecting only the upper flat.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service had already brought the blaze under control before LASEMA’s arrival, preventing it from spreading to other parts of the building. No casualty or injury was recorded.
Commending the swift response of all emergency agencies, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, urged haulage operators to comply with approved load limits and road safety regulations.
The LASEMA Boss also advised residents to regularly inspect and maintain electrical installations, particularly prepaid meters, to reduce the risk of electrical fires.
He encouraged members of the public to report emergencies promptly through the Lagos State emergency toll-free lines, 112 and 767.
Written by Yemisi Dada