No fewer than eight people have been confirmed dead following a multi-truck collision on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway near Kara Bridge, outbound Lagos, on Thursday morning.
The tragic accident, which occurred around the Berger axis, involved several heavy-duty vehicles and caused massive traffic gridlock on the busy highway.
Eyewitnesses said one of the trucks plunged into the Kara River, while two others collided and burst into flames, sending thick black smoke into the air. The chaos reportedly left commuters stranded for hours as emergency teams battled to contain the situation.
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), and firefighters were swiftly deployed to the scene to coordinate rescue and recovery efforts.
Television footage aired by TVC News showed firefighters and emergency responders working amid heavy smoke to extinguish the flames and recover victims from the wreckage.
Confirming the incident in a statement via its official X handle, LASTMA said eight casualties were recorded in the crash.
“There’s a report of a multiple road crash involving a truck and a container-laden trailer that went up in flames. Another truck spilled its contents—cartons of biscuits—on the road, while a fourth vehicle, also a container-laden truck, ran into the barrier, causing its carrier to fall off the bridge into the river. Eight casualties have been confirmed,” the statement read.
The agency added that recovery and evacuation operations were ongoing and urged motorists to remain patient while efforts to clear the wreckage continued.
“Efforts are in top gear for the recovery and evacuation of the vehicles involved. There is a heavy traffic backlog on Ogunnusi Road and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. LASTMA officers and other emergency responders are on the ground managing the situation,” it said.
The accident caused severe traffic congestion across adjoining routes, with movement stretching from Berger through Ogunnusi Road toward Mowe.
As of press time, emergency teams were still on site to retrieve the fallen truck, evacuate burnt vehicles, and reopen the affected section of the expressway to traffic.