At least 4 females, 2 males and 1 male child have been burnt to death in an auto crash that occurred at Iyana-Oworo inward third mainland bridge in Lagos on Sunday.
It was gathered that a commercial bus of 14 passenger Mazda with registration number KJA 699 GY was gutted with fire.
Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed that the incident occurred due to recklessness and overspeeding by the driver which resulted in the fire with 12 passengers trapped.
He said the driver escaped with some burns, three female adults were rescued and rushed to Gbagada General Hospital while a male adult was attended to by LASAMBUS at the scene.
“Unfortunately 7 victims were burnt to death (4 female, 2 male adults and 1 male child ) in the bus.
“All the remains have been bagged by the Agency’s LRT Paramedics, LASAMBUS official and handed over to SEHMU” he said.
Osanyintolu added that arrangements have been made by LASTMA officials at the scene for the removal of the burnt vehicle from the road.
He said the operation is concluded, while the road is now partially opened for vehicular activities.
(LASEMA) was established vide LASEMA Law 16 of 2008 for emergency and disaster management in the State in pursuance to decree 12 of 1999 as amended by Act No. 50 of 1999 which established the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
The Agency is responsible for the overall co-ordination of emergency management in Lagos State, working closely with all its Stakeholders. It came into existence in February 2007, and the legal framework establishing LASEMA was signed into Law on July 22nd, 2008 by Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), who was then the governor of the state.
The Agency was statutorily charged to provide adequate and prompt response as well as sustaining intervention in all forms of emergency/disaster situations in the State within the territorial boundary called “Lagos”.
It performs this onerous task through Emergency/Disaster prevention preparedness, mitigation, recovery and relief.
The law that set up the LASEMA did empower the Agency to coordinate the activities of all its stakeholders and NGO’s who are categorized into Primary, Secondary and Tertiary responders in management of all emergency and disaster situations in the State as well as also to build their capacity toward increasing response capability.