Hell fire in Lagos! Two burnt alive, 18 vehicles razed as tanker explosion wreaks havoc at Otedola Under-Bridge

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Tragedy struck on Tuesday night as a devastating tanker explosion at the Otedola Under-Bridge in Lagos claimed two lives, leaving behind a trail of destruction that turned the night sky into an inferno.

At exactly 8:10 p.m., chaos erupted when a gas tanker lost control, overturned, and exploded into a raging fireball.

The deadly flames the tanker explosion consumed everything in their path—10 vehicles, eight tricycles, and even a nearby building—before emergency responders fought tirelessly to quell the blaze.

By the time the flames were finally extinguished at 10:02 p.m., the aftermath was grim: two adult males burnt beyond recognition, while three others suffered severe burns, with one rushed to an undisclosed hospital.

Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), described the scene as catastrophic.

“It was a devastating incident. Our emergency teams responded swiftly, but the fire had already spread rapidly, consuming at least 10 vehicles, eight tricycles, and a building,” he said in a statement early Wednesday.

Emergency calls flooded the state’s response lines, prompting the swift mobilization of rescue teams, including LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, LASTMA, the police, and medical teams.

Despite their heroic efforts, the intensity of the tanker explosion made recovery difficult. Rescuers fought through thick smoke and scorching heat to prevent further loss of life, implementing safety measures and fire containment strategies.

By midnight, the wreckage of charred vehicles littered the roadside, a grim reminder of the night’s horror.

The recovered remains of the victims have been handed over to the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU), while the injured continue to receive medical treatment.

The cause of the explosion remains under investigation, but Tuesday night’s tragedy has once again raised concerns over tanker safety and fire outbreaks on Lagos highways.