Six of them died while 79 were injured when a bus conveying them to their office in Ikeja was hit by a fast-moving passenger train.

Without a doubt, it was truly a black on Thursday for many Lagos State civil servants. 

This is because six of them died while 79 were injured when a bus conveying them to their office in Ikeja was hit by a fast-moving passenger train.

The train’s registration number is 2215; the staff bus’ number is 04A-48LA.

At least, two women died on the spot, The Nation learnt. 

The accident occurred at the PWD railway crossing at about 7 am.

The victims blamed the driver for being reckless as he made to cross the level crossing at PWD, close to Shogunle on the rail corridor.

A survivor, Kazeem Abiola, who sat by the door, said the bus was midway through the rail at the Shogunle level crossing when the train crashed into it. 

He said the bus had sped past the train around Ladipo Bus Stop on the Old Agege Motor Road. 

When they got to the PWD level crossing, they warned the driver to slow down and wait for the train. 

“He shouted us down, thinking he could speed past before the train would catch up with us,” Abiola said.

“We warned him to allow the train to go, but he was adamant. 

“Everybody was shouting, cautioning him, but he cared less. 

“Half of the bus had crossed the rail track before the train hit us. 

“The last I heard was the crash and I passed out. 

“I regained consciousness here (LASUTH Emergency Unit).”

The train, on Iddo-Ijoko Mass Transit Train Service, was operated by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

The victims who suffered various degrees of injuries spoke at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.

Anuoluwapo Musa, a staff of the Lagos State Emergency Maintenance Agency (LASEMA) told The Nation that the bus, which was coming from Ikotun, picked him up at Jakande Estate.

He said he jumped and broke his arm.

“I was at the back when the incident occurred. 

“I heard the bedlam as those in the front row were shouting down the driver. Not quite long, we were hit by the train. 

“I was conscious enough to jump out of the bus while the train was still dragging our bus on the rail track,” he said.

Another victim said she also jumped out of the bus. She also suffered an arm injury.

The bus, which was navigating inward to Ikeja, was trapped by the train’s magnets, it was learnt.

Commuters paused to offer assistance.