A commercial bus driver, Raheem Bolarinwa, has died after a tin-tomato laden truck fell on his bus in the Mushin area of Lagos.
It was gathered that the truck driver, who was driving against traffic, had hit a median while trying to take a U-turn.
The truck reportedly lost its balance and fell on the bus, which was parked at the bus stop.
Bolarinwa was said to be calling passengers into the bus when the incident happened on Sunday.
It was learnt that after the 35-year-old was confirmed dead, the yet-to-be-identified truck driver fled the scene of the accident.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the accident happened around 5.47am, adding that but for the intervention of various authorities, hoodlums would have carted away with the content of the truck.
He said, “The accident happened on Sunday morning. The Volvo truck, with number plate, AAA 689 XV, was loaded with tin tomatoes. The truck driver was driving against traffic and while trying to make a U-turn, he crashed into a median.
“The truck fell on a bus which was parked by the roadside. As the truck was falling, the driver tried to escape but it was a half-way escape and the load fell on him.
“Hoodlums rushed to the scene to cart away the goods. But police and task force officials put them under control.”
Another eyewitness, who identified himself simply as Segun, said officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Lagos State Ambulance Service, Lagos State Fire Service, Lagos State Security and Safety Corp and the Nigeria Police Force, were on the ground to extricate the driver from the truck.
“The process ended around 4pm and it affected the flow of traffic. The man was recovered dead,” he said.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Chike Oti, on Monday confirmed the accident, adding that the police were on the trail of the truck driver.
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