BEVERLY HILLS, May 25, (THEWILL) – A diesel-laden tanker on Tuesday morning crashed and exploded at Banire Bus Stop, along the Egbeda-Ikotun Road, in Alimosho area of Lagos state.
An eyewitness, Mallam Audu Hassan, a night guard in one of the buildings around the scene of the incident, said the driver of the tanker was on high speed when the accident happened.
“I was still awake checking around when I heard the sound of a horn from a fast-moving vehicle, I saw a tanker struggling to maintain a balance and all of a sudden after losing control burst into flames and everybody started running in different directions for their dear lives,” he said.
Confirming the development, the Director-General of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the incident was caused by a brake failure, adding that the situation has been brought under control.
According to Osanyintolu, “On arrival at the scene by first responders, it was observed that a fully loaded tanker with diesel had a brake failure and subsequently lost control; falling off the road, which caused an explosion and fire outbreak.
“The fire has been successfully subdued by men of the LASEMA Fire service unit, Lagos state fire service, Nigeria Police and other first responders, while damping down is going on. There are no casualties and no property damaged by the blaze.
“Additional post-incident assessment will be carried out and the wreckage will be removed from the thoroughfare.”
Also confirming the incident, the Acting Zonal Coordinator, South-West Zonal Office, NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye, said NEMA received an alert at 12.20 a.m. that the tanker which was said to have loaded at Abule Ado in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area had exploded, causing panic among the residents of the locality.
Farinloye said: “He said: No life was lost or property destroyed. However, the tanker with no registration number is still half filled with PMS and across the major highway.
“The Police Disaster Management Unit and Gowon Estate Police Station have apprehended the driver of the truck and his motor boy (assistant).”
Farinloye said efforts were on to trans-load the content to another tanker before the road could be opened for traffic.
He, therefore, advised motorists to make use of alternate routes from the Banire roundabout to Egbeda roundabout.
Farinloye said NEMA and other agencies including the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency Response Unit and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority were on the ground to ensure safety and free flow of traffic.
