How a BRT driver’s error in judgment led to a train accident: Survivors

In Shogunle, Ikeja, Lagos State, the rail tracks directly across from the PWD Bus Station were covered in dried blood splatters, broken glass, and wrung metal plates.

 

Sweaty faces, exhausted breaths, and bloodied bodies struggled to escape the cramped vehicle and reach the rays of the rising sun above.

 

Residents earlier witnessed in horror as a staff bus carrying passengers traveling from Ikotun to the Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, collided with an approaching train, pushing the passengers several meters away before coming to a stop.

 

According to information obtained by Saturday PUNCH, the BRT driver veered into the rail track despite warnings from level crossing flaggers and other drivers to stay off the road because a train was approaching.

 

“Everything happened in a flash. The bus was waiting in that instant. Another second later, he had “jumped” onto the level crossing, resulting in a collision, an eyewitness who only wanted to be known as Chioma told one of our reporters.

 

Chioma’s assertion is supported by Mr. Augustine Arisa, Chief Mechanical Engineer and Lagos District Manager of Nigeria Railway Corporation, who claims that the train that struck the Lagos State Staff BRT pushed it 100 meters farther before coming to a stop because of the high speed it was traveling at.

 

A train-bus collision at the Shogunle Level Crossing was reported to Arisa’s office via a distress call from one of the NRC’s train drivers at around 7:50 in the morning.

 

In response, he said, “We discovered that the Level-Crossing Keeper was present. The LCK is always the person holding the red and yellow flags at the level crossing.

 

“You are to stop if he flashes the red flag. In the event that he raises the yellow flag, proceed with caution. If he hands the train driver the yellow flag, it indicates that he has told him to begin approaching.

 

“Now that the rail is clear for him to drive through, the train driver feels confident. This merely indicates that all buses should wait until they are given the yellow flag before moving. The train driver can now drive through the rail with confidence because of that.

 

The district manager added that the BRT driver ignored the level crossing keeper’s red flag, veered away from where other buses were waiting, and entered the track.

 

“Before the train driver could stop, he had already struck the vehicle (BRT), carrying it about 100 meters before stopping,” he claimed. This is so that the train can’t just suddenly stop.

 

He added that anyone seen on the rail track is an intruder and reiterated that nobody should be there for any reason.

BRT driver had earbuds in, according to witnesses

 

According to numerous witnesses who spoke with Saturday PUNCH, the BRT driver had earbuds in while he was driving the staff through the level crossing.

 

The driver ignored the flag bearers who waved him to stop with the red flag, according to a trader named Mrs. Mmesoma Akachi who sold goods at the rail track.

 

“The driver is very impatient and reckless,” she remarked. He ought to have held off. It won’t be long before the train moves on and he gets his way. But no, he chose to move quickly. Now look at the mess he created.

 

Chika Joe, a different trader, claimed that the incident happened too quickly.

 

She had just gotten to her shop and was setting up some merchandise when she noticed smoke rising in the distance.

 

“I observed buses and a train passing. I was unaware that the BRT driver would not wait, though. In fact, they were shouting, flagging, and whistling at him to stop. He declined, though. She muttered with anticipation, “Perhaps he was pressed for time.

 

The trader continued by saying that she soon noticed the BRT had been carried by the train across the level crossing and into a fence on the opposite side.

 

Between the tracks, there were the skeletal remains of a young woman, covered in a pool of blood.

 

She allegedly tried to jump off the train but hit her head on a stone, causing her to bleed to death.

 

When Saturday PUNCH visited the scene of the incident on Thursday, the once-busy Ikeja rail tracks that were frequently filled with traders were sparse.

 

Only a few vendors could be seen, seated and attending to customers.

 

Iya Agbo, who sells medicinal herbs at the bus stop’s entrance, was one of them.

 

She expressed to our reporters that she was still in disbelief over the driver’s flagrant disregard for the rail flagmen’s instructions.

 

She said, “I thought the BRT was waiting like other buses but was shocked when he just drove into the track,” in Pidgin English. Everyone shouted at him, pleading with him to drive quickly or in reverse so the train wouldn’t hit him.

 

“He could only go so far because there was a car in front of him. Even though the front portion of the bus had crossed, the back was struck by the train and propelled far from the point of impact.

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Another eyewitness, who wished to remain unnamed, asserted that the BRT driver did not hear the level crosser’s whistle.

 

“The man (driver) was not focused,” he said. He inserted a device into his ears so that he could not hear the noise. From where I was in PWD, I could hear it on the other end. It still baffles me why he wasn’t able to hear it.

 

I arrived at the scene quickly to see what I could do, but I started crying. I noticed youngsters. I observed women who were bloody. When we attempted to help a middle-aged man stand up, he simply sat on the floor. His feet were trembling.

 

The driver attempted to flee but was apprehended by some young men who recognized him, according to a Federal Road Safety Corps officer who declined to give his name because he was not authorized to speak to the press about the incident.

 

“The bus had already made one crossing. The other component was the one that was still on the track. You must see the blood here, the man continued.

 

A stroll through the track revealed some bus wreckage and bloody patches.

Five times, I honked the BRT driver’s horn. – Flagger

 

According to a level crossing keeper with the NRC who requested anonymity due to security concerns but who stated that he was on duty at the time of the collision, he flagged the BRT driver carrying the government employees to stop more than five times before he finally did so.

 

“I kept waving the red flag, whistling and shouting, pleading with the BRT driver not to move to cross as a train was coming at high speed, but he refused to hear me,” he claimed. See what has occurred right now.

 

“If I don’t do my job, nobody will hold it against me. I’ll be ready to defend myself if they call me anywhere. I always make sure to get here very early for my shift, but some of these drivers don’t pay attention.

 

The flagman continued, saying that some drivers who used the level crossing could be very impatient and that if he tried to flag them down, they would scream at him and still drive by.

 

One time when I flagged him down to save his life, one of them even spat at me. You won’t believe that particular driver ignored the warning and proceeded to cross the street.

 

I’m just mad that the BRT driver was carrying passengers. I wouldn’t be this upset if it were just him,” he continued.

 

When asked if the driver was wearing earbuds, the flagman responded, “No matter what kind of earbuds someone is wearing, the ground vibrates when a train is approaching. Everyone is aware. Why did he attempt to flee after the collision, leaving the people he was carrying inside the car to perish? Why?”

 

The bus was fully loaded with state government employees, according to Adebayo Taofiq, Director of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority’s Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, who also complained that the driver was not patient enough.

 

“The number of staff members on the bus cannot be easily calculated; it is the same as BRT,” he said. There were some standing since the bus was overloaded. The driver still had time, so he was supposed to have waited for the train. Why the rush when it wasn’t even 8 o’clock yet?

 

“To some extent, the train dragged the bus. While some passengers jumped out of the bus quickly, others were trapped.

 

When Saturday PUNCH arrived, representatives from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, National Emergency Management Agency, Federal and State Fire Service, among others, were spotted at the scene.

 

Michael Ogodo, a local, praised the rescue team and noted that first responders arrived at the scene quickly.

 

“More casualties would have resulted if the emergency personnel hadn’t arrived as promptly as they did today,” he claimed.

 

“Many people were bleeding simultaneously from their noses, mouths, and heads. Even a young boy struggling to stand up caught my eye. He had blood all over him. I had never seen anything more terrifying than that.

No room for injured people

 

Many casualties were transported to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja GRA, from the scene of the tragic incident, which occurred between Sogunle and the Ikeja axis.

 

According to information gathered by Saturday PUNCH, 79 of the bus’ 85 passengers were revived, treated for a variety of wounds, and then transported to Gbagada General Hospital, Agege General Hospital, and the trauma center in the state’s toll gate area.

 

Around 10.30 am, when one of our reporters arrived at LASUTH, the location was crowded with supporters and security personnel.

 

First, our correspondent waited for their loved ones who had suffered injuries to be admitted at the Emergency Ward entrance with dejected friends and families.

 

One of the medical staff members was overheard saying, “Those brought here with serious head, neck, hip, and limb injuries have been moved to another place,” while our correspondent was there. There isn’t enough room here for everyone.

The victims of the train accident, who were lying at the helipad at the hospital’s surgery emergency, were being attended to by nurses, health personnel, students, and staff from the College of Medicine of Lagos State University, as well as other staff members of LASUTH.

 

Many of the patients writhed in pain as they were spread out on mattresses at the helipad under emergency tents, each with an intravenous cannulation line placed above them.

 

The surgical emergency ward at LASUTH was too small to accommodate many patients, according to a medical professional who commented on why the patients were laid out under the tents rather than in wards and went by the name of Otia.

 

Only 20 to 30 acute emergencies can be accommodated in the tiny surgical emergency. I hope they allow space for an addition.

 

“The Gbagada General Hospital also has some room, but there might not be any beds available right now. Helicopter landings take place in that area, she explained.

 

At least 28 patients were lying on these mattresses, some of whom were writhing in pain and many of whom were still unconscious as the medical staff struggled to provide for them.

 

There will be an evacuation to make more rooms available for the patients, Dr. Olabode Oshodi of LASUTH assured one of the patients’ relatives. Under the tents, they cannot remain here. As soon as there are beds available, we will move them inside.

severe wounds

 

Most of the patients had cuts on their faces, arms, chests, and legs in varying degrees.

 

It was seen that their wounds had been bandaged and sealed using cotton wool and plasters.

 

The majority of their clothing was either blood-stained or blood-soaked from the horrific accident scene.

 

However, some family members changed the patients’ clothes.

 

Family members gathered around the barricades while some sobbed and others prayed for the survival of their loved ones.

 

The security guards and medical staff on duty forbade journalists from approaching or speaking to the patients, claiming that they were recovering and in need of fresh air.

 

One of our reporters, though, managed to approach the patients up close.

 

David, a young child who was one of the victims, stood up on his bed.

 

He suffered a minor injury, according to the headmistress of his school and a family friend who both declined to give their names.

 

His mother works at this hospital, but she hasn’t arrived yet; according to what we’ve heard, she’s in good health. We are pleased that he is responding to treatment even though he attends our school in Ikeja and both of them were involved in the accident, the headmistress said.

 

At least four patients had oxygen cylinders connected to them via tubes to help them breathe. These patients’ conditions were more serious.

 

Several accident victims, including five, had collars around their necks for support, and others had their hands bandaged or secured with Plaster of Paris.

 

Although some cases were said to require more intensive care, some patients could be seen being transported from the helipad by the Lagos State Ambulance Services buses to available wards.

families suffering

 

Qoyyim was one of the victims carried on a stretcher from the ambulance to the helipad. His neck was supported by a collar, and his head was bandaged.

 

He could hardly move, but he was aware enough to point to his sister and identify her, and the security personnel let her in.

 

“I didn’t know he was here; I’ve been calling other people and trying his number ever since I heard about the accident. Where do we want to begin since our lives will never be the same again? Sister of Qoyyim spoke as she sobbed uncontrollably.

 

One of the accident scene victims, a woman wearing a hijab, passed away and was pronounced dead by the on-site medical staff while our correspondent was at the hospital.

 

When she learned of the deceased’s passing, a woman who was reportedly a relative fled from the surgery center while wailing hysterically.

 

As our correspondent approached her, a relative of a young man whose identity has not yet been released was sobbing vehemently.

 

She explained that the patient, who was his cousin, was still unconscious and that the family was praying for a full recovery.

 

“The bus left him behind while he was traveling to Ikeja. He wasn’t intended to accompany them. When someone was left behind, the driver was informed, and they stopped for him as a result. Look at what’s happened now, she instructed.

Our driver made an error in judgment, claim survivors

 

When the accident threw the passengers of the bus into various positions, a woman who identified herself only as Raji said, “I remember landing on my back on a piece of hard iron. Since then, I’ve been in pain,” she claimed.

 

One of the victims, who identified himself only as Chinedu, told Saturday PUNCH that the driver must have made a calculation error because he had been a driver for more than a year and had a spotless record.

 

He remarked, “He’s been operating the bus for about a year and a half. He typically keeps a phone on the dashboard to talk to his superiors and to play music; I just think he made a mistake in his calculations. An accident occurred. I can’t remember how it happened, but I was probably close to the door, which is why I only got a cut on my head.

 

“The medical professional said I have a hand muscle issue. I can move it, but I haven’t done an X-ray yet,” he said, pausing occasionally in discomfort.

 

Toyin Lasisi, a different survivor who works with Dynamic Recoveries in Alausa, claimed to have boarded the bus at the Ikotun Bus Stop around six in the morning.

 

Lasisi revealed that she received three packs of drips at LASUTH for her injuries, which she sustained after jumping out of the bus and landing on her legs and arms.

 

He remarked, “I boarded the bus at six in the morning; the man is the regular bus driver, so this is not the first time he’s on that road. I believe it was simply an error to not wait for the train to pass.

 

“I received treatment, and three drips were administered. Thousands of people came out to save us, and the ambulance showed up right on schedule. Although it was in excruciating pain, I jumped out of the bus as soon as the accident occurred while other passengers were unable to do so.

 

The Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, the State Commissioner of Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, and a few other members of the State Executive Council visited the hospital with the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to offer their sympathies to the accident victims.

 

Sanwo-Olu revealed that 85 people were involved in the accident, of whom 42 had moderate injuries, 29 had serious injuries, and eight had mild injuries in a press conference shortly after visiting the injured at LASUTH.

 

He claimed there were a total of six fatalities, including two at the scene of the accident and four more in the intensive care unit and during surgeries.

 

Later, some family members of those killed in the Lagos train crash showed up at LASUTH to give the victims blood.

 

This comes after a well-known physician, Dr. Chinonso Egemba, urged Lagosians to visit the state hospital’s blood bank and donate blood to the crash victims.

 

He pleaded, “Please, if you are near LASUTH and you can donate blood, they urgently need blood to assist the accident survivors this morning. Whenever you can, go there.

102 victims were reported by LASUTH – CMD

 

Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo, the Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, described how his hospital received 85 victims at once at around 8 am on Thursday. He described the experience as overwhelming.

 

He continued by saying that the facility started using open space treatment, also known as triage, which was the best method available in large-scale emergencies.

 

He explained that triage was an option because the hospital’s emergency unit only had 30 beds available for patients.

 

Six deaths had been reported, according to Fabamwo, who also stated that six victims were receiving medical attention.

 

According to a statement from the Lagos State Ministry of Information, the management of LASUTH established a triage center by erecting an emergency canopy.

 

Patients were classified as mild, moderate, or severe. Those with life-threatening injuries were transferred right away to operating rooms for stabilization and fracture repair by LASUTH experts, it stated.

 

To ease the strain on the facility, some of the victims were also transferred to nearby hospitals.

BRT driver arrested and named

 

At a press conference on Friday, the Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, revealed that the unfortunate bus driver had been detained and was the subject of an investigation.

 

He continued, “Regarding the driver, as Mr. Governor mentioned yesterday, he is presently being questioned by the police. The investigative reports, which are still in the early stages, will include consideration of the medical aspects of his condition while driving.

 

The Railway Command Commissioner, Yetunde Alonge, was contacted by Saturday PUNCH, and she confirmed that the driver, Oluwaseun Osinbanjo, was the subject of ongoing inquiries.

 

“We started our investigations right away after the incident occurred yesterday (Thursday). Until I am certain that their families have given the hospital the list of their names to release such a piece of information, I cannot reveal the identities of those who perished in the accident, she continued.

(TNT)