FOR over 12-hours-yesterday, traffic was completely paralysed on Lagos Mainland as a result of an 80-tonne container which fell from the back of the truck conveying it to an unknown destination.
Investigations revealed that the incident occurred at about 2am on Saturday at Cappa junction bus stop along Oshodi to Mushin road.
For several hours, men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) were seen on ground trying to manage the gridlock, which extended to Stadium Bus Stop in front of the National Stadium in Surulere.
Many commuters resorted to trekking to their destinations after spending several hours inside commercial buses.
Speaking with The Nation, the leader of the LASTMA team, Mr. Akinola Daboh said, “The truck involved in the accident was too small to convey the heavy container which weighed 80-tonne. Another cause of the accident was that one of the rear tyres pulled out while the truck was on motion.”
It was gathered that the first crane brought by LASTMA officials to evacuate the container was returned after failing to lift the fallen container off the ground. The evacuation process caused a serious damage to a portion of the road.
Daboh disclosed that the truck has been impounded by the traffic control agency, while the container will be released to the owner.