Refuse compactor falls off Lagos bridge, kills tricycle rider

A yet-to-be-identified tricycle rider has been crushed to death after the compactor of a refuse truck fell from a bridge in the Surulere area of Lagos State.

According Metro learnt that the incident happened on Tuesday evening.

The truck, owned by the Lagos Waste Management Authority, was said to be plying the Shitta bridge in the community when it developed a mechanical fault while in motion.

As a result, the driver lost control and collided with a Kia Saloon car on the bridge.

While confirming the incident on Wednesday, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency said the impact of the crash caused the compactor to detach from the truck, crash down the side of the bridge, and fall on a mini commercial bus and a tricycle.

The Permanent Secretary of the agency, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, who disclosed this in a statement noted that the tricycle rider died on the spot.

The statement read, “The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, received a distress call through the Toll-Free Emergency numbers 767/112, at 2215hrs yesterday night.

“The Agency activated the State’s Emergency Response Plans with Emergency Response Teams responding from Onipan, followed with necessary equipment from Cappa Base, the hub of LASEMA heavy-duty equipment in a 5-minute record time, at 2220hrs.”

“It was observed that a LAWMA PSP compactor truck was involved in a multiple accident when it reportedly suffered mechanical error (disengaged propeller), lost control and crashed into a Kia Rio Saloon car, registration number unknown, on Shitta bridge.

“Further information gathered at the incident scene was that the compactor thereafter crashed down the side of the bridge onto a seven-passenger mini-bus (Korope) and a tricycle (Keke Marwa), killing the tri-cyclist instantly on impact.”

The LASEMA boss added that the remains of the deceased were recovered from the scene of the incident and taken to the Infectious Disease Hospital, IDH, Yaba for further processing.

According to him, all three vehicles involved in the multiple accidents were moved to Iponri Police Station, while the LAWMA PSP compactor truck was taken to LAWMA yard at Ijora with the aid of the Agency’s Heavy Duty Equipment equipment (Elephant) at midnight.

“In attendance at the incident scene were the LASEMA Response Team, LASAMBUS, LASTMA, Divisional Police Officer, DPO, of Surulere Divisional Office and Officers of the NPF from Iponri Police Station,” he added.