No fewer than two people were seriously injured on Wednesday when a tanker carrying petrol overturned and exploded in flames at the NASFAT junction along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The fire incident, which happened in the early hours of the day, caused chaos for motorists and left six vehicles burnt.
The tanker, according to witnesses, was attempting to make a U-turn at the junction when it suddenly lost balance and tipped over. A large quantity of petrol spilled across the road before catching fire moments later.
“The tanker was trying to make a turn when it fell to its side and spilt the petrol before catching fire,” an eyewitness told reporters, refusing to give his name.
The explosion affected several vehicles on the busy expressway. Among the six damaged vehicles were four trucks, one bus, and a Toyota Camry. Two men who sustained serious burns were quickly rushed for emergency treatment.
Babatunde Akinbiyi, spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, noted that the injured persons were first taken to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital. However, due to severe traffic, they were later moved to FAMOBIS Hospital at Lotto.
The accident caused major delays for drivers in both directions of the expressway. Some were stuck in traffic for more than an hour, while others looked for alternative routes to escape the jam.
Later in the day, a similar crash occurred near the Ogere bridge. A fuel tanker fell on one side of the road while an 18-tyre truck loaded with stones tipped over on the opposite side. This second accident made traffic even worse along the route.
Police officers and firefighters from the Ogun State Fire Service were seen at both crash scenes, working to control the situation. A police officer, who spoke under condition of anonymity, noted that the petrol from the fallen tanker had been drained safely, and plans were underway to remove the tanker from the road.
