Two men sustained extensive burn injuries after a 33,000-litre tanker carrying diesel fell and caught fire at Otedola Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Monday.
The incident prompted a coordinated emergency response involving the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).
According to the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, a distress call reporting the fire was received at 4:09 p.m. Firefighters from the Alausa and Ikeja fire stations arrived at the scene at 4:16 p.m. and immediately began firefighting operations.
The tanker reportedly fell between the inward and outward sections of the bridge before the fire broke out.
Firefighters subsequently extinguished the blaze, while damping-down operations continued to eliminate residual hotspots and prevent a possible re-ignition.
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The two injured men were rescued from the scene and transported to a medical facility for emergency treatment.
A LASTMA spokesperson, Taofiq Adebayo, said the victims were taken to the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre at Toll Gate for immediate medical attention.
“The injured victims were subsequently evacuated by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency’s Rescue Unit (LRU) to the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre, Toll Gate, where they were admitted for immediate medical attention,” Taofiq said in a statement on Monday evening.
In a separate statement, LASTMA described the severity of the incident and the urgency of the rescue operation.
The authority said the “terrifying conflagration left two victims with extensive and severe burn injuries, necessitating their immediate extrication from the danger zone and urgent medical intervention”.
The victims’ current medical conditions have not been confirmed in the information available.
EMERGENCIES AGENCIES COORDINATE RESPONSE
Firefighters from the Alausa and Ikeja stations worked to contain the blaze, while other emergency personnel assisted with rescue operations and the evacuation of the injured men.
LASEMA’s Rescue Unit transported the victims for treatment, while LASTMA helped manage the situation around the affected road corridor.
The incident highlights the risks associated with accidents involving tankers transporting petroleum products, particularly on heavily trafficked roads and bridges.
FIRE SERVICE URGES MOTORISTS TO EXERCISE CAUTION
The Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Abimbola Adeseye, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting lives and property through prompt and effective emergency response.
She urged motorists to exercise caution around emergency scenes and comply with safety instructions issued by emergency personnel.
Although the fire has been extinguished, the cause of the tanker accident has not been established in the information released by the Fire and Rescue Service.
