Fire engulfs Otedola Bridge: Church, buildings, cars burnt

A massive explosion rocked Otedola Bridge in Lagos on Monday night, leaving a trail of destruction as a petrol-laden tanker burst into flames.

The incident, which occurred at around 8:08 p.m., engulfed a church, an adjoining bungalow, and four vehicles in an inferno that sent motorists fleeing for safety.

Confirming the incident on”X” , the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, stated, “The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service is currently attending to a fire resulting from a tanker accident outward Otedola Bridge, Omole, Lagos, at about 8 p.m. While firefighting operations are ongoing, there has been no record of casualties, with further updates to follow.”

Eyewitnesses said the tanker, a 30-tonne DAF gas truck with an unknown registration number, was navigating the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway when it suddenly exploded. Panic-stricken drivers made desperate U-turns, while others abandoned their vehicles to escape the raging fire.

Emergency responders, including the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the State Fire Service, and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), were still battling to contain the blaze at the time of filing this report.

LASEMA’s Head of Public Affairs, Boss Okunbo, stated, “It is some sort of explosion. Awaiting preliminary report. LASEMA’s Tiger Response Team is at the location.”