A collapsed container truck between the FHA Bridge and the ShopRite Pedestrian bridge along the Lugbe-Airport Road in Abuja has caused a major gridlock on the route.
Our correspondent gathered that the truck, which collapsed along the expressway at about 9 am on Tuesday, forced outbound vehicles headed towards the airport to divert to the opposite lane, causing even more congestion on the expressway.
The FCT Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Muta’a Chorrie, confirming the incident to our correspondent, said officers of the FRSC were on hand to remove the container and clear the gridlock, while stating that it was a fallen container and not a tanker, as some reports had earlier claimed.
“It was just a container that fell on the road. We are making efforts to remove the container and control the traffic. So, it’s a container that fell on the airport road today, not a tanker. I have not received the full details yet. When I get it, I’ll get back to you”, he said.
Giving further updates, the commander said the gridlock had taken between two and three hours to clear, stating that the collapsed truck was carrying a 40-foot container that had fallen and blocked three-quarters of the road, adding that no casualty had been recorded.
“It was a 40-foot trailer that fell down, which we struggled to get off the road for about two to three hours, because it was very heavy. So, the road is clear now, but it was very difficult.”
“There was no casualty, please. Just that the truck fell with the 40-foot container on it, and so the container blocked almost three-quarters of the main lane. That is why it was causing that hold-up. And people started driving haywire, and the traffic became difficult to return to normal, but we have been able to do that now”, he said.
