At least three people were rescued on Sunday after a diesel tanker, a minibus, and two trailers were involved in successive collisions that triggered an explosion along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Iyana Isolo, Lagos.
According to a statement by the Senior Public Affairs Officer of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Fadairo Maria, the incident occurred at about 1:05 p.m.
“The emergency call was received at 13:05 hrs through the Isolo and Bolade Fire stations, which immediately deployed personnel and equipment to the scene,” the statement read.
The service explained that the tanker, loaded with 45,000 litres of diesel en route from Apapa to Oshodi, rammed into a commercial minibus. The collision triggered a chain reaction with two other trailers — a flatbed and a 40-foot container truck — sparking a fire.
“Upon arrival, responders discovered that a diesel-laden tanker had collided with a commercial minibus before being struck by two trailers.
The impact triggered a fire incident,” the agency disclosed.
Firefighters extinguished the flames and carried out mop-up operations.
“Three individuals sustained varying degrees of injuries in the incident and have been taken to a nearby hospital for medical attention.
At present, efforts are ongoing to evacuate the wreckage of the vehicles to restore free flow of traffic in the area,” the statement added.
Preliminary findings revealed that the crash began when the tanker struck the minibus, which “narrowly escaped without casualties” before the involvement of the trailers.
The Controller General of the service, Margaret Adeseye, urged motorists to exercise caution to avert similar tragedies.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) attributed the tanker explosion to reckless driving.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, the agency said:
“In an immediate display of coordinated emergency management, LASTMA operatives under the direct supervision of the agency’s operational command swiftly galvanised allied responders.”
The joint operation, which included the Fire and Rescue Service, the Nigeria Police, and Neighbourhood Safety Corps, “collectively subdued the inferno and precluded its escalation into a greater tragedy.”
The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, also confirmed that more operatives from surrounding areas were deployed to the scene.
“He further affirmed, with relief, that no human casualty was recorded, largely owing to LASTMA’s prompt intervention in cordoning off the affected corridor and restricting vehicular movement from Ilasa inward to Oshodi,” the statement noted.
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