There was a fatal tanker explosion and fire on the Otedola Bridge in Lagos on Tuesday night, which left one dead and three seriously injured. Fire from a tanker truck loaded with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, sent shock waves into the environment, with the fire quickly spreading to consume other vehicles and structures around.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) also confirmed the casualty figure, with three adult male victims suffering from severe burns rescued and evacuated to the burns unit of the Gbagada General Hospital. Sadly, the corpse of an adult male was recovered from the scene. LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, also assured the public that steps were being taken to extinguish the fire and that the authorities were also striving to contain the blaze.

LASEMA’s Tiger Response Team was immediately dispatched to the scene, where the explosion had left a broad trail of destruction. The area was immediately cordoned off by authorities, who alerted motorists to use alternative routes as a precautionary measure.

The blast happened around 7 pm, and people on various social media sites captured the moment. Footage on X (formerly Twitter) captured enormous fires and dense billows of smoke rising from the ruins. Tonye Oliver took the location as a “major disaster,” while Pamilerin Adegoke warned individuals against getting near the Otedola Bridge due to the ongoing fire.

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The Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, reported on the accident, describing it as a collision between a 30-tonne gas tanker. She said the tanker was traveling on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and did not have any visible number plate. When it crashed, it burst into flames. The fire quickly spread to nearby buildings, including a Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) building and a bungalow. Four vehicles, of varying makes and models, were also engulfed by the fire.

“After a gas truck suffered an accident during movement on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, fire ensued,” Adeseye reported in a statement. “Everything got heavily damaged in the explosion and fireballs with the church as well as the nearby bungalow being burnt out. Thankfully, firefighting has been ongoing to prevent more devastation.”

Although the magnitude of the disaster had been terrifying, Adeseye confirmed that as of the time she spoke there had been no reported fatalities. The blaze had been intense, but the firefighting services struggled day and night to put it out.

Subsequently, however, in a statement released by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, the situation had allegedly been taken under control. “We can confirm that the fire has been extinguished,” Hundeyin said, noting that the explosion itself didn’t actually occur on the bridge. “There is now unobstructed traffic over the Otedola Bridge, and Lagos State Police Command officers are on ground, taking over the area to conduct further post-fire operations.”

The devastating effect of the fire has traumatized motorists and residents by the blast that not only resulted in loss of lives but also property destruction. Two buildings, including the RCCG church and an adjacent bungalow, were leveled down, while the burned cars were turned into ashes. The accident required swift interventions from rescue teams, which worked tirelessly to contain the damage.

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While the cause of the accident is being probed, Lagosians have been reminded of the potential danger in the transportation of hazardous substances. The accident serves to underscore the need for more safety measures to prevent such incidents in the future, given the traffic congestion on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Otedola Bridge, which is congested with heavy traffic on a daily basis.

Drivers are also reminded to be cautious and mindful of the risks of driving on heavy traffic roads. The authorities, meanwhile, have assured that measures are being taken to make sure that a repetition of the incident would not happen in the future, with emergency response units and law enforcers monitoring the area and looking into the origin of the explosion.

The sinking of the tanker and its cargo has also shown concerns regarding the safety arrangements for transporting dangerous substances across populous cities. Lagos State Government must revisit these arrangements in light of this tragic accident so that there are no more tragedies.

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