One passenger sustains severe burn injuries as emergency responders evacuate occupants at Berger Bus Stop
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has rescued 17 passengers and a driver after a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered commercial bus caught fire at Berger Bus Stop along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The Toyota Hiace bus, with registration number EKY 798 YK, was reportedly conveying 18 passengers from the Mowe-Ibafo axis towards Lagos when the incident occurred.
In a statement on Tuesday, LASTMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Adebayo Taofiq, disclosed that one male passenger seated at the rear of the vehicle sustained severe burn injuries.
He said LASTMA officials immediately evacuated the injured passenger to the Lagos State Trauma and Emergency Centre at Toll Gate for urgent medical attention.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service subsequently extinguished the fire, while officers of the Ojodu Police Division secured the scene and maintained order during the rescue operation.
Reacting to the incident, LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, commended the agency’s officers and other emergency responders for their swift intervention, which ensured that 17 passengers escaped without injuries.
Bakare-Oki said the incident underscored the importance of rapid emergency response, effective collaboration among emergency agencies and the deployment of adequately trained personnel to handle road emergencies.
He also urged commercial transport operators to ensure regular professional inspections of their CNG-powered vehicles and proper maintenance of their gas storage and delivery systems to prevent similar incidents.