Lagos train accident claims one person
By Kazeem Akande
Latest reports indicate that one person died at an early hour train derailment on Thursday at Ashade railway crossing Agege, Lagos.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) confirmed the death.
Mr Jerry Ochi, the Lagos Railway District Manager (RDM), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the victim died at the NRC hospital at Ebute Meta while receiving treatment.
“Efforts have been put in place to restore normalcy at the scene of the incident,” he said.
According to him, the NRC officials have been working to re-rail the train and repair the track.
The RDM said the operation would start immediately the tracks were fixed.
“We will start our operation in two hours time, when the affected train is re-railed and the track is repaired.
“Our operations continue today because everything is under control and the vehicular traffic jam at the scene of event has been cleared,” he said.
NAN reports that hundreds of passengers escaped death when a mass transit shuttle train derailed at the Ashade railway crossing on the Agege-Ikeja corridor in Lagos.
The incident, which a NAN Correspondent learnt, happened at about 7.15 a.m., leaving some of the passengers injured.
Some personnel from various security agencies immediately cordoned off the area, to maintain law and order while the injured were rushed to hospitals in the neighbourhood for treatment.
“The derailment happened when the Apapa-bound train skidded off its tracks at the Ashade Railway Crossing at Agege, on the Ikeja Corridor. (NAN)