An explosion from two tankers loaded with petroleum products rocked the Sari Iganmu area of Lagos, Thursday night, destroying nine vehicles in the resultant inferno. The raging fire sent fear into residents of Moshood Abiola Way, opposite Fashola estate and Ijora, over possible escalation due to spillage of the combustive content.
However, no casualty was recorded according to the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, contrary to rumour that several persons were burnt to death. There were however different versions as to how the incident happened. An account said one of the trucks was stationed without a caution to alert oncoming vehicles. Driver of another truck collided with the parked truck and the impact of the collision ignited balls of fire.
Another account said a truck loaded with combustive substance was rolling back when an oncoming one loaded with detergent and sardines collided with it.
The Director Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Adeseye Margret, in a statement issued at 11.20pm on Thursday,disclosed that, “Eleven vehicles were destroyed. They include: two tankers, one tipper truck, three trailers, three cars and two micro-mini buses popularly known as korope.
“While an earlier incident on the Lagos- Ibadan expressway was successfully completed having evacuated the tanker and bus without resulting to fire, same cannot be said with the Iganmu fire outbreak..
“But there was no life lost and no injury recorded, as occupants in the vehicles escaped unhurt. “The raging fire has been curtailed, the dampening of pockets of fire still continues, to allow for investigation that will reveal the cause and the evacuation of the carcass to bring about normalcy”.
Investigations according to her “revealed that a fully laden 45,000 liters tanker experienced a mechanical fault while ascending the quadrapont bridge. This led to its roll back, causing it to hit another tanker and a faulty containerized trailer, resulting in an instant explosion and fire. It is important to reiterate that lives were not lost and no injuries were recorded in this unfortunate accident”, she stressed.
South West Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, said 12 high tension poles were also destroyed by the inferno.
Farinloye earlier warned residents of Moshood Abiola Way through Sifax, down to Ijora Under bridge and Apapa to suspend use of naked fire, as it could spark up another fire due to spillage of the product into drainage in their communities. He also advised against the use of streams and tributary of any rivers for washing or bathing .
Hours later, he declared that, “the environment is quite safe now. People can start their normal life by cooking and other activities they wish to do”.
Meanwhile, a delegation from the Lagos State Governor, Babajjide Sanwo-Olu, visited the scene yesterday to assess the extent of the disaster. Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Adeseye Margret, who received the delegation, led them on a tour of the scene. The ongoing evacuation operation according to Margret, “would lead to the reopening of the Moshood Abiola Way, which connects the dual-quadrapont bridge in Iganmu, Lagos, soon”.
