Lone Driver Plunges into Lagos Lagoon

Pandemonium erupted Saturday at the popular Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos when a yet-to-be identified lone driver of a Toyota Sienna bus plunged into the lagoon.

But contradictory reports claimed that the Toyota Sienna bus was fully loaded with passengers, a claim that was yet to be confirmed as at the time of filing this report .

However, no life was lost as the victim was immediately rescued and taken to the hospital for treatment.

The rescue team made up of local divers and fishermen from the Ilaje community rescued the victim.

According to eyewitness account, the Sienna bus had skidded off the bridge and plunged into the lagoon in  the full glare of motorists and pedestrians whose quick alarm probably saved the victim.

However, sources said the victim who sustained varying degrees of injuries was immediately rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja by men of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

While rescue effort was going on, operatives of Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), the police and the FRSC made frantic efforts to ensure free flow of traffic.

But despite their concerted efforts, the long stretch of the bridge became congested as motorists tried to catch a glimpse of the car and the rescue team.

The incident which went viral on different social media platforms including, Blackberry messenger, Twitter and Facebook incited panic  in the populace as the message claimed that the bus was fully loaded.

It would be recalled that in times past, several hoax messages had made the rounds concerning vehicles falling into the third mainland bridge, a claim that remained a hoax until Saturday.

Attempts to confirm the incident from the state Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, proved abortive as at press time.