Fuel Tanker Explodes On Otedola Bridge, Low Casualties Recorded

A tanker loaded with fuel caught fire on Friday at the Otedola Bridge around the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The incident occurred days after the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos State Command, Olusegun Ogungbemide, said that there are no demons, witches, or wizards at Otedola Bridge.

The Otedola Bridge is notorious for road crashes mostly involving fuel-laden tankers and trucks that often explode, resulting in an inferno, burnt vehicles, loss of lives and properties. Although, no casualty was recorded as of the time of filing this report as first responders arrived at the scene and curtailed the fire.

Confirming the explosion, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Director-General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said the fire was a result of an electrical fault developed while the tanker was in motion.

He said the fire had been extinguished and prevented from spreading into the main storage tank.

According to Oke-Osayintolu, LASEMA and other sister agencies were on the ground in the recovery process of the burning truck.

“In quick response to a distress call to the agency this morning, LASEMA swung into action of recovering the gutted tanker loaded with 45,000 litres of diesel.

“Upon arrival at the scene, it was observed that a Mack Tanker Truck with no registration number loaded with 45,000 litres of diesel was gutted by fire while descending the Otedola Bridge inward Berger Bus Stop.

“Further investigations gathered at the scene of the incident revealed that the fire started as a result of electrical fault developed while on motion.

“Due to the quick intervention of the agency’s tiger team and the Lagos fire service, the fire was extinguished and prevented from spreading into the main storage tank.

“The recovery of the tanker truck is ongoing,” he said.

The LASEMA boss urged residents and passers-by not to panic as he assured them that the wreckage of the tanker would be removed from the thoroughfare.