Five critically injured as train, truck collide in Lagos

FIVE people narrowly escaped death last night after a train ran into a truck laden with laterite at the PWD railway crossing, opposite the Nigerian Air Force Base in Ikeja, Lagos. According to eyewitnesses, the driver of the truck, with registration number LAGOS XY 288 JJJ, attempted to play smart by crossing the railway line, but failed to make it before the speeding train rammed into it. Eyewitnesses disclosed to The Nation that the accident caused serious commotion as thousands of passengers, some of who were sitting on the roof of the train scrambled for safety. Though no life was lost in the accident, but five unlucky passengers, who were left critically injured, were rushed to nearby hospital where doctors are presently battling to save their lives. The accident, which happened at about 7:30pm last night, led to serious traffic gridlock along the Agege Motor road, as the train, said to be coming from Ebutte-Metta and heading for Agbado, had to terminate its journey, leaving of its passengers stranded. The fate of the injured passengers was uncertain as at press time last night.