One person died, and several others were injured in multiple traffic crashes on Kara Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Friday.

The Federal Road Safety Corps said the first crash occurred at about 12:05 a.m. on the outbound carriageway towards Ibadan.

FRSC spokesperson in Lagos, Elizabeth Jayeola, said in a statement that the accident involved five articulated trucks and one Toyota Sienna vehicle.

The command noted that preliminary investigation indicated that the crash resulted from speed violation and loss of control, adding that a total of seven adult males were involved in the crash.

“One person lost his life, one sustained injuries, while five others escaped unhurt.

“Due to the position of one of the heavily loaded trucks, the body of the deceased is trapped underneath the vehicle, necessitating the deployment of heavy-duty recovery equipment before evacuation can be completed,” it stated.

The command said while rescue and recovery operations were ongoing, another crash occurred at about 3:15 a.m. on the inbound carriageway towards Lagos and involved a Mazda commercial bus.

“The lone crash was caused by brake failure, leaving the driver seriously injured. He was promptly rescued by the FRSC emergency response team and taken to the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre for medical treatment,” the statement added.

The command noted that its rescue team, LASEMA and other emergency responders were working assiduously to evacuate the crashed vehicles, recover the trapped victim, clear the obstruction, and restore the free flow of traffic.

Corps Commander Kehinde Ganiyu Hamzat sympathised with the families of the victims and urged motorists travelling along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to exercise patience and caution and cooperate with traffic management personnel in and around the scene.

Motorists were advised to use alternative routes, including the Ikorodu-Sagamu route and Lekki-Epe Expressway, where possible, to avoid delays from the Kara-Ojodu Berger corridor until recovery operations were concluded.

The command urged motorists to avoid night travels and ensure that their vehicles were mechanically fit before embarking on any journey.