16th May, 2012
An unidentified woman died this morning when a commuter mini bus painted in Lagos colour summersaulted on Third Mainland Bridge on Lagos Island, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria.
Another victim, a man, was in coma when P.M.NEWS arrived at the scene of the accident.
At least five other commuters in the Oworonshoki- bound vehicle sustained injuries.
The injured victims were rushed to a nearby hospital. But the corpse of the female victim was covered with a cloth at about 8:30 a.m. when the accident occurred.
Eyewitnesses claimed that the driver of the vehicle might have lost control of the steering due to brake failure because it was the only one involved in the accident. The wreckage of the mini bus with Lagos registration number was still at the scene of the accident at the time of filing.
The vehicle blocked part of the bridge and created a serious traffic gridlock.
Men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, LASTMA, were seen trying to ease the traffic jam.
None of the survivors of the auto crash was in the mood to talk when PM.NEWS sought their views on the cause of the accident.
—Abeeb Ogunbadejo