The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, has confirmed the rescue of a truck driver who was trapped within the tractor head of an overturned containerised truck on the Shagamu Road axis of Oke Gbegun, close Lagos State Polytechnic, LASPOTECH, in Ikorodu.
The incident, which occurred around midnight, was revealed in a message sent on Sunday by LASTMA’s official X (previously Twitter) account.
According to the agency, the fully laden 40-foot containerised vehicle had brake failure, causing it to lose control and overturn on the busy route.
LASTMA claimed its agents arrived at the scene to discover the driver still trapped inside the cabin, characterising the rescue effort as sensitive and tight due to the weight of the container and the vehicle’s location.
“When we received the call, the driver was still in the cabin. It was a tense scenario because the truck was completely laden, and the angle of the overturn made rescue difficult,” the agency said.
“Our team worked quickly to stabilise the vehicle and free the driver.” “The safety of the trapped driver and other road users was our top priority,” the statement continued.
The authority stated that its Rescue and Recovery Team promptly dispatched the Super Metro 002 high-capacity recovery vehicle to begin rescue and clearance operations.
LASTMA said that the collision caused major traffic congestion in the region, with the overturned truck partially blocking the route.
“Traffic was severely impacted, and vehicles were redirected to alternate routes to facilitate passage. Although the main route was partially blocked, our officers worked well together to provide emergency access and reduce inconvenience,” the agency stated.
Further updates on the recovery operation were expected as of the time of posting this article.