Panic erupted Saturday morning in the Maryland area of Lagos State after a BRT bus suddenly caught fire, forcing passengers to flee for safety. Shockingly, both the driver and conductor reportedly abandoned the bus and its passengers, fleeing the scene.
The bus, which was headed from Ikorodu to CMS, began to emit thick smoke from the driver’s side before bursting into flames. An anonymous passenger who spoke to reporters said most commuters initially assumed the smoke was from a nearby vehicle.
“As soon as we saw that the smoke grew bigger, we immediately rushed off the bus before the fire ignited,” the witness explained, adding that no passengers were injured in the incident.
The same witness criticized the driver and conductor for allegedly knowing the vehicle was faulty and endangering lives.
“The driver and the conductor ran away. They didn’t even wait to see what would happen to us. Definitely, they knew the bus was bad before putting it on the road.”
Emergency responders, including officials from the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, were seen at the scene working to extinguish the fire and manage traffic flow.
Authorities have yet to release an official statement on the cause of the fire or the whereabouts of the driver and conductor.
