Smith; The railway tracks | credits: Samson Folarin
Tragedy struck on Wednesday in the Cappa, Oshodi area of Lagos State after a train crushed to death a 32-year-old man, identified as Smith. Smith was said to be hurrying to his workplace around 7am and was crossing the railway tracks when he was hit.
Tragedy struck on Wednesday in the Cappa, Oshodi area of Lagos State after a train crushed to death a 32-year-old man, identified as Smith. Smith was said to be hurrying to his workplace around 7am and was crossing the railway tracks when he was hit.
Eyewitnesses, who spoke with PUNCH Metro, said the deceased,
a devout Muslim, who was fondly called Alfa, could have been saved if help had
come his way on time.
A mechanic in the area, Biodun Adebanjo, said Smith had only
recently had a baby with his wife.
He said:
“It was around 7am when he alighted from the bus he had
boarded to Cappa. His workplace is just a few kilometres away. Immediately he
alighted, he started racing towards the railway tracks, apparently he was in a
hurry and was oblivious of the hooting of the train.
As he approached the tracks, an area boy wanted to grab him
and stop him from crossing, but he thought he wanted to rob him and forcefully
pulled himself away. By the time he realised the danger he was in, it was too
late. He tried to turn back, but the train hit his right leg and slammed
against his body.”
Another witness, who spoke on the condition of anonymity,
told our correspondent that immediately the incident occurred, symphatisers
rushed to the scene and dragged him to the side of the railway tracks. He said
the victim was still breathing, but in dire need of medical help.
He added that efforts to get emergency workers to come to
the scene were abortive as they reportedly did not show up until 10am, about
three hours after the incident.
Another witness, Austin Edi, lamented that policemen, who
passed the area, merely looked and moved on.
He said, “People kept calling the emergency lines, but they
just said they were coming. Policemen around the area did not even make any
effort to save the victim. It was around 10am that his remains were removed by
an ambulance.”
It was learnt that the victim’s colleagues also came around
and later informed his relatives about the incident.
Our correspondent visited Esther Oshiyemi Street where Smith
worked in a construction firm as an architect. The office was locked.
Some people around told our correspondent that the
management of the company took the decision to mourn him.
A resident, Bisiriyu Oladimeji, described late Smith as a
religious man, who was noted for his gentleness.
He said the information making the rounds that the victim
blocked his ears with earpiece and was listening to music when the incident
happened, was not true.
“I know him very well. I have not even seen him use earpiece
before. He was soft-spoken and easygoing. We call him Alfa. It’s just
unfortunate and nobody knows what he was thinking that blocked his mind,” he
said.
It was learnt that train accident had become recurrent in
the Cappa area.
A man, who declined to give his name, said no fewer than
three people had died in recent times.
He said, “Just in August last year, a man was crushed to
death at the same spot. Shortly after this man (Alfa) was killed this morning,
another lady was almost crushed to death at the same spot.
“We were the ones who shouted and stopped her from killing
herself. There have been many more like that.”
He attributed the incidents to frustration, appealing to the
government to build demarcation fences and station train officials at the spot.