By Peter Omopo
Traffic was brought to a near standstill on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos on Monday after a commercial bus caught fire near the University of Lagos (UNILAG) waterfront area.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed the incident in an update shared on its official X account, stating that the fire occurred on the inward Iyana Oworo lane of the bridge.
According to the agency, officials of the Lagos State Fire Service were immediately deployed to the scene and were working to put out the blaze.
“A commercial bus has caught fire on the Third Mainland Bridge near the UNILAG Waterfront, inward Iyana Oworo. Fire Service officials are currently on the scene, making concerted efforts to extinguish the blaze,” LASTMA said.
The incident caused severe traffic congestion, with the backlog stretching as far as the Adekunle interchange. Motorists were advised to remain patient and exercise caution while approaching the affected section of the bridge.
Meanwhile, LASTMA also confirmed a separate rescue operation carried out in the Ikorodu area of Lagos. In a statement released on Sunday, the agency said its operatives rescued a truck driver who was trapped inside the cabin of a fully loaded 40-foot containerised truck that overturned along Shagamu Road at Oke Gbegun, near Lagos State Polytechnic.
The agency explained that the accident, which occurred around midnight, was caused by brake failure, adding that the rescue operation was challenging due to the heavy load and the angle at which the truck overturned.
LASTMA commended its officers for their swift response and urged motorists to ensure proper vehicle maintenance to prevent similar incidents.
