TheCable

Four people lost their lives on Tuesday after a train collided with a tricycle, popularly referred to as Keke Napep, at the Iju area of Lagos state.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed the incident in a statement.

The agency said it received information of the accident from a distress call in the early hours of Tuesday.

According to the statement, a tricycle carrying four passengers was crossing the railway line when an oncoming train collided with it.

One of the people onboard escaped unhurt.

LASEMA blamed the accident on the recklessness on the part of the tricycle driver.

It said the remains of the dead have been deposited at the mortuary.

In January, a train derailed at the Mangoro, Agege area of the state, leaving several passengers injured.

“The Agency received a distress call via the emergency toll-free number 112/767 regarding an accident at the Iju area, Shina Peters Road Iju Ishaga on Tuesday, 30th of April 2019 at about 6:52 am,” the statement read.

“This prompted the immediate activation of the Agency’s Response Team and other stakeholders to the scene of the incident accordingly,” the statement read.

“On arrival at the scene of the incident, it was gathered that a tricycle with five people on board had a collision with a moving train at the aforementioned address.

“Further information gathered at the scene revealed that the immediate cause of the incident was due to reckless driving on the path of the tricycle driver trying to cross the rail crossing.

“Unfortunately four (4) persons (three adult males and one adult female) lost their lives. One adult male escaped unhurt.

“The Agency’s Response Team and other stakeholders, which includes Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), Nigeria Police Force NPF and the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) were responders at the scene of the incident.

“The Agency Team recovered the dead bodies and handed over to SEHMU to be moved to the mortuary.

“The General Manager Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Mr Adesina Tiamiyu however, advised motorists especially tricycle operators to always exercise patience when crossing the railway line to avoid unnecessary loss of lives in the State.”