A petrol tanker loaded with Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, went up in flames on Sunday, at Iyana-Isolo, inward Oshodi, Lagos, sparking panic and threatening to spread across the busy corridor.
The tanker, which reportedly overturned while in motion, immediately exploded, with the raging fire consuming at least four other trucks parked nearby.
Eyewitnesses said the inferno could have caused a major disaster had it not been quickly contained.
Swift intervention by operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, in collaboration with other emergency agencies, averted what could have become a large-scale tragedy.
The agency mobilised first responders, including the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, police officers from Aswani, Ilasa and Mushin divisions, as well as the Neighbourhood Safety Corps, to the scene.
According to LASTMA’s General Manager, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, the fire was successfully brought under control after personnel cordoned off the affected road and diverted traffic away from the danger zone. He confirmed that reinforcements from adjoining zones were also deployed to boost the operation.
Bakare-Oki expressed relief that no lives were lost, attributing the outcome to the prompt coordination of agencies on the ground. He, however, cautioned drivers of articulated vehicles, tankers and heavy-duty trucks against reckless speeding, which preliminary findings linked to the cause of the accident.
He also advised residents to utilise LASTMA’s toll-free hotline (080000527862) to report traffic emergencies, assuring the public that the agency remains equipped to respond swiftly to incidents.
“LASTMA is committed to safeguarding lives and property while ensuring safe and sustainable traffic management across Lagos State,” he said.
Fuel tanker explosion rocks Oshodi, Lagos
