A petrol-laden tanker exploded in Sari Iganmu district, Lagos Street, killing many people.
According to accounts, the incident took place on Thursday evening.
Although the cause of the explosion is unknown, emergency workers responded immediately to put out the flames. People wept as videos of the raging flames spread on the internet.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services were on the scene combating the fire.
In a brief statement emailed to our correspondent, the agency’s spokesperson, Shakiru Amodu, said, “Tanker fire is being combated at the Lagos Quadrapoint Bridge by National Arts Theater, Iganmu as Sari Iganmu and Ilupeju Fire Crews combine efforts to tame the raging fire.”
In a post on X, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority stated, “A tanker has gone up in flames just before Iganmu bridge from Sifax.” LASTMA has already notified @LagosRescue. Our police on the scene are doing everything they can to handle the issue. Motorists heading in that direction are advised to avoid the area and redirect their travel for their own safety,” the agency warned via @followlastma.
When pressed for more information about the incident, the agency’s spokeswoman, Adebayo Taofiq, promised to get back to our correspondent.
According to an eyewitness who requested anonymity,
“The container was coming from Apapa. The container climbed the bridge leading to Orile, it could not climb the bridge and fell off at the tail end of the bridge. It then collided with a fuel tanker, which burst into flames.”
The eyewitness added that about 10 vehicles were trapped with their occupants. “Fire service men from Iganmu station came to the scene,” he added.