Panic as fuel tanker explodes in Lagos

A petrol tanker exploded at the Sari Iganmu area of Lagos on Thursday night.

However, the cause of the incident and the number of casualties have not been ascertained.

The incident caused panic in the area with passersby fleeing in different directions over the intensity of the fire.

The spokesman of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services, Shakiru Amodu, confirmed the explosion in a terse statement sent to journalists.

He added that the agency’s operatives are battling frantically to put out the fire.

Amodu wrote: “Tanker fire is being combated at the Lagos Quadrapoint Bridge, by National Arts Theater, Iganmu as Sari Iganmu and Ilupeju Fire Crews combine efforts to tame the raging fire.”

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The Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) also confirmed the explosion on its X platform, formerly Twitter.

“A tanker has gone up in flames just before Iganmu Bridge from Sifax. LASTMA has already alerted the @LagosRescue. Our officers at the scene are doing their best to handle the situation,” the agency stated.

In another related development, many people were allegedly trapped as three fuel tankers burst into flames on Otedola Bridge in the Ojodu-Berger area of Lagos on Thursday evening.

Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said the outbreak resulted from a collision among the oil tankers.

“Further investigations revealed that one of the tankers was ascending the bridge when it rolled back onto the other tanker and other vehicles. The collision impact resulted in the fire,” he said.

He stated that the number of people trapped in the inferno could not be ascertained, but preliminary assessments revealed that the multiple accidents involved three container-laden trucks.

Also, he explained that two tankers laden with unknown but highly inflammable contents, one tipper truck laden with gravel, one flatbed truck and three cars were affected.