Hundreds of Passengers escape death as trains collide in Lagos

 

Many passengers escaped death when two trains collided in Lagos on Wednesday.

 

Four people were however injured.

It was learnt that the accident was due to the absence of signal operator at the Mushin Station terminus in Lagos.

 

An eyewitness, who identified herself simply as Bisi, said when one of the trains, which was coming from Ijoko in Ogun State got to the terminus, it stopped for passengers to disembark.

Bisi added that as the Iddo-bound train driver was waiting to be cleared, the train coming from Iddo rammed into it.

 

It was gathered that the signal operator had gone to defecate and asked his assistant to take over but his assistant forgot, leading to the collision.

 

A trader near the rail track, Ngozi Nelson, told PUNCH Metro that the accident occurred because the train operators were not properly guided.

 

She said, “The train from Iddo was coming with high speed unknown to the driver that there was another train on the track.

“By the time the driver got to where the train was stationed waiting for direction, his brakes failed.”

A tailor in the area, who craved anonymity, said the impact of the accident threw the entire neighbourhood into chaos.

 

“We thought it was a bomb blast. It was when we got there that we found out it was train collision. Some passengers sustained injuries. But I do not think anybody died,” he said.

The man, who looked downcast, said the accident was unfortunate.

 

“The trains have been removed as you can see. It was not as serious as people exaggerated,” he said.

As at 2pm when one of our correspondents was leaving the terminus, officials of the corporation were clearing some of the debris of the accident.

 

Meanwhile, the management of Nigerian Railway Corporation has confirmed the accident.

The NRC Assistant Director Public Relations, Mr. David Ndakotsu, in a statement on Wednesday, said no one died in the accident.

 

He said, “The two trains involved in the accident at Mushin Railway Station were mass transit trains, one coming from Iddo to Ijoko and the other from Ijoko to Iddo.

 

“There were no fatalities. However, three out of the four injured persons were treated at Railway Clinic and have since been discharged.

 

“The NRC management has since set up a committee to investigate the cause of the accident. Normal services have since resumed in Lagos.”

 

(PUNCH)