Panic gripped motorists and pedestrians around Otedola Bridge towards the Berger axis of Lagos State after a diesel-laden tanker reportedly fell off the bridge and exploded, triggering a raging inferno.
The fire, which was raging at the scene, sent road users fleeing for safety as thick flames engulfed the area, raising fears of possible casualties and damage to property.
Fire Service operatives from Lagos State were sighted battling frantically to contain the inferno and prevent the fire from spreading further. The intensity of the blaze, however, heightened anxiety among motorists and pedestrians in the vicinity.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has confirmed.that a tanker caught fire under the Otedola Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The agency’s spokesperson, Olawale Afolabi, confirmed the incident in a brief message to journalists on Monday.
According to Afolabi, LASEMA received a distress call about the incident at approximately 4:24 p.m. and immediately deployed its Tiger response team to the scene.
“Tiger team en route to Otedola. Tanker on fire,” he stated.
The incident has once again drawn attention to the recurring danger posed by tanker-related accidents on Otedola Bridge, a notorious stretch of road that has witnessed devastating fuel tanker fires and accidents in the past.
Previous incidents on the bridge have claimed lives and destroyed properties, including vehicles trapped in the ensuing fires. Such tragedies have repeatedly raised concerns about road safety, emergency response and the risks associated with the movement of petroleum tankers along the busy Lagos corridor.
According a road user who witnessed the latest incident, it is likely to renew calls for stronger safety measures to prevent tanker accidents, improve traffic management and ensure a swift emergency response whenever such disasters occur.
As firefighters continued efforts to bring the blaze under control, motorists and other road users were urged to exercise caution around the affected area and comply with instructions from emergency responders.
Details of the latest incident, including the cause of the crash, possible casualties and the extent of damage, were not immediately available at the time of filing this report.
