…the tanker was attempting to overtake another vehicle when it lost control, crashed and burst into flames.
LAGOS NIGERIA- The iNews Times | A fully loaded 33,000-litre petrol tanker exploded along the Badagry Expressway in Lagos in the early hours of Christmas Day, killing at least two people.
The iNews Times learnt that the explosion occurred around 4 a.m. on Thursday at the Oto-Ijanikin axis, near the Lagos State University of Education.
Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said the tanker was attempting to overtake another vehicle when it lost control, crashed and burst into flames.
In a statement posted on the agency’s X handle, LASTMA’s Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Adebayo Taofiq, said preliminary investigations pointed to excessive speeding as the cause of the accident.
“The tanker reportedly lost control while trying to overtake another road user, crashed and immediately went up in flames, trapping and killing the driver and an adult female occupant,” the statement said.
Taofiq noted that LASTMA officials on duty swiftly secured the area to prevent further accidents and alerted emergency responders, including the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (Ojo Unit), the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Ijanikin Police Division.
He added that officials also stopped bystanders from attempting to scoop spilled fuel, a move that could have triggered additional explosions.
After the fire was put out, the burnt tanker was evacuated to ease traffic, while the remains of the victims were recovered by the FRSC.
Describing the incident as tragic and preventable, LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, sympathised with the victims’ families and cautioned tanker drivers to obey traffic rules and speed limits. He also warned the public against collecting petroleum products from accident scenes.
The explosion reportedly destroyed several houses and vehicles, causing panic in the area. Firefighters from the Ojo and Badagry fire stations were deployed to contain the blaze.
The Controller-General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, attributed the incident to negligence, noting that one male adult was confirmed dead at the scene, while a female victim sustained severe burns.
The tragedy occurred less than 24 hours after a fire outbreak damaged a section of the Great Nigeria Insurance House at Balogun Market in Lagos.
