The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed that two individuals were killed in a tanker explosion on Friday night near the Ijesha end of the Cele link bridge in the Surulere region of the state.
Margaret Adeseye, the LSFRS Director, confirmed this in a statement on Saturday, adding that firefighters arrived quickly to the distress call to extinguish the fire.
The statement partly read, “At approximately 23:12hrs emergency services were alerted to a tanker truck, carrying 33k litres of petrtol, losing control while navigating the roundabout to ascend the bridge. The subsequent spillage ignited into a large fire, engulfing the surrounding area.
“Prompt action by the Isolo and Bolade Fire Stations of the agency, contained the inferno, preventing further escalation.
“Regrettably, two male individuals were discovered deceased, their bodies tragically burnt beyond recognition and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force, overseeing the necessary procedures. The Lagos State Ambulance Service also provided vital assistance throughout the operation.”
Adeseye added that efforts are underway to clear the wreckage of the involved vehicles from the road, to ensure free flow of traffic and to enable investigative procedures.
PUNCH Online reported in April that five people were confirmed dead and over 70 cars burnt in a tanker explosion at the Eleme section of the East-West Road in Rivers State.
The incident was reported to have followed the collision between a petrol-laden tanker and a heavy-duty truck, spilling the content of the tanker which burst into flames.