Posted by By JULIANA FRANCIS on
All hell was let loose recently in the Adeniji Jones area of Ikeja, Lagos, when a trailer veered off the road and rammed into a hospital.
All hell was let loose recently in the Adeniji Jones area of Ikeja, Lagos, when a trailer veered off the road and rammed into a hospital.
The driver of the trailer died on the spot with his intestines gushing out, while five cars parked in front of the hospital were smashed like broken eggshells.
The hospital, ‘Mother and Child' was almost a shadow of its old magnificent self. The walls of the fence got pulled down while the generator house was broken to smithereens. It was like a scene straight from Armageddon. The accident, which occured on May 2, became a topical issue not because of the damages but because many people escaped injuries and death by a hair's breadth.
According to Dr. Raphael Olarenwaju, the consultant in charge of the hospital, the vicinity was usually full of people. That the driver was the only casualty in the accident was a sheer miracle.
Recalling the nightmare of that fateful day, Olarenwaju said: 'It was about 2 pm. I heard a loud bang like an explosion.
We all rushed out, and when we got outside, we saw this trailer carrying rolls of metals. They were probably taking them to some industries. The trailer veered off the road from the left side, and ran into our car park, crushed five cars. Two were completely damaged beyond recognition. The driver in one of the cars was injured. He crawled out through the window."
Though some people claimed the accident was caused by a ruptured tyre of the trailer, Olarenwaju said he was not too sure. He insisted that the accident may have been due to overspeeding.
He said: 'I suspect that the rolls of metals were not properly secured. One of them shifted and crashed into the driver's compartment. It must have killed him instantly. If he had not been overspeeding, he would have been able to control the vehicle."
Though the driver died, his colleague on the passenger's side was lucky to escape with minor injuries. The man was brought out alive while first aid was administered to him. The doctor said he was sad that he couldn't do anything to save the driver's life.
Olarenwaju and other staff of Mother and Child hospital, however, became upset when the police fell short of their expectations, after the incident was reported at MAN center station. They accused the police of not being transparent. For instance, when the supposed owner of the trailer came to the police station, he didn't write any statement as the hospital staff did.
Olarenwaju explained how he and other staffers started sensing foul play. He said: 'The owner of the trailer came, we agreed that the vehicle would be taken to the police station. Surprisingly, when the metals were transferred to another trailer, they were taken away. The owner was allowed to leave and didn't write any statement."
The doctor wished that justice should be done. Justice, to him, means police imploring the owner of the trailer to compensate those whose vehicles were crushed and assisting in the repairs of the broken fence. He said: 'This is the first time we are witnessing this kind of accident, but it is not uncommon. Big trucks should not even be allowed to pass through this place. It's unfortunate, right now, we've been given a bill of over N80,000 to mend the fence."
Dr Taiwo Temitope was among those whose vehicles were smashed. Temitope also wished the owner of the trailer could assist him in getting a new car. He added that he wouldn't mind the amount split into two between him and the trailer owner.
But in spite of his losses, Temitope thanked God for sparing him from being inside his car during the accident. He said: 'I put a lot of things in my car. I go there often to pick things. In fact, it was almost time for me to close on that day before it happened. If it had happened when I was about to open the car, I would have died. I thank God. The car is a material thing."
The police explained that the supposed trailer owner as believed by the staff of Mother and Child hospital was actually the manager of the business. They further explained that the goods were released to the man because, the 'goods have committed no offence."
According to the police, they were expecting the owner. And they hoped that once he arrives, he would meet with the hospital staff and have discussions on how to compensate those whose properties were affected in the accident.