A tricycle rider has been crushed to death after the compactor of a refuse truck fell from a bridge and landed on him in Surulere, Lagos State.

The truck, owned by the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) was passing through the Shitta bridge in the community when it developed a mechanical fault. It then lost control and crashed into a Kia Salon car on the bridge.

The impact of the crash caused the compactor of the truck to detach and fall on a fully loaded mini-commercial bus and the tricycle beneath the bridge.

The passengers in the bus survived while the tricycle rider died on the spot.

Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency said its response team arrived at the scene around 10:20 pm after receiving a distress call.

The Permanent Secretary of the agency, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, in a statement on Wednesday, March 6, said, “It was observed that a LAWMA PSP compactor truck was involved in a multiple accident when it reportedly suffered mechanical error (disengaged propeller), lost control and crashed into a Kia Rio Saloon car, registration number unknown, on Shitta bridge.

“Further information gathered at the incident scene was that the compactor thereafter crashed down the side of the bridge onto a seven-passenger mini-bus (korope) and a tricycle (Keke Marwa), killing the tricyclist instantly on impact.”

The LASEMA boss added that the remains of the deceased were recovered from the incident scene and taken to the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba for further processing.

According to him, all three vehicles involved in the multiple accidents were moved to the Iponri Police Station, while the LAWMA PSP compactor truck was taken to the agency’s yard at Ijora with the aid of its Heavy Duty Equipment at midnight.