Otedola Crash: Infant Unharmed in Multi-Vehicle Pile-Up

A chaotic multi-vehicle collision on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway this morning saw an eight-month-old baby miraculously rescued unharmed, an astonishing outcome contrasting sharply with the severe injuries sustained by four pedestrians. The crash occurred at the heavily congested Otedola axis, inward to the Tollgate, causing significant disruption to Thursday’s early morning traffic flow.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed that the accident involved a total of four vehicles: a Hydra truck (APP 261 FA), an LT commercial bus (EPE 574 YC), a Ford vehicle (GG 283 XQ), and an unregistered Mark flat-body truck.

According to preliminary investigative findings, the chain of events began with the unfortunate attempt by four pedestrians to cross the busy expressway. This group, which included a woman carrying the infant strapped to her back, was tragically struck by the speeding LT commercial bus. The sheer force of the initial impact was enough to trigger a devastating cascade of secondary collisions involving the other three commercial and heavy-duty vehicles, resulting in a significant pile-up.

Amidst the ensuing chaos, LASTMA officers who swiftly arrived at the scene were able to locate and secure the infant. The baby was found alive and, against all odds, completely uninjured, a development widely hailed by emergency responders as a near-miraculous escape given the trauma and severity of the crash, which left the adults with serious injuries.

The four injured adults were immediately stabilized at the scene by emergency medical teams. They were then rapidly transported to the Lagos State Accident & Emergency Centre, strategically located near the Tollgate, for immediate and specialized treatment. Support was provided by police officers from the Alausa Division, who secured the immediate area and assisted responders in managing the complex situation to ease the intense traffic pressure building up on the critical expressway.

Adebayo Taofiq, the LASTMA spokesperson, confirmed that all the vehicles involved in the accident were quickly cleared from the road to prevent prolonged congestion and restore the normal flow of traffic.

The agency’s General Manager, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, extended his commiserations to the injured victims, wishing them a swift recovery. He also seized the opportunity to issue a vital public service safety announcement, delivering a stern caution to pedestrians against the reckless practice of attempting to cross busy expressways. He strongly urged the public to utilize the overhead pedestrian bridges, correctly characterizing such risky crossings as both avoidable and potentially fatal, emphasizing that the morning’s incident served as a potent, tragic reminder of the dangers involved.