One dead, two injured as tanker explosion rocks Lagos

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

One person has been confirmed dead and two others injured following a gas tanker explosion at Sangotedo area of Lagos.

The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed this while giving details of the incident on Saturday.

Oke-Osanyintolu said the explosion occurred at Ologuro Bus Stop, opposite Total Filling Station in Sango-Tedo, after a tipper truck rammed into a gas tanker from behind.

He stated that LASEMA’s emergency response team, known as the Shark Team, was promptly deployed to the scene, where it discovered that the collision triggered a fire outbreak.

According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that over-speeding and reckless driving by the tipper truck driver led to the accident.

Oke-Osanyintolu said the driver of the tipper truck, an adult male, died instantly due to the impact of the crash.

He added that two adult female sustained injuries and were immediately attended to by officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Services, who administered first aid at the scene.

The LASEMA boss further stated that the resulting fire engulfed four roadside shops, causing extensive damage to property.

Oke-Osanyintolu explained that emergency responders, including LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and LASAMBUS, acted swiftly to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to nearby buildings.

He noted that the tanker’s contents were still trapped within the vehicle, adding that recovery operations were ongoing.

Oke-Osanyintolu assured that the fire had been brought under control, while efforts to fully secure the scene and conclude recovery operations continued.

He said the agency would provide further updates as the situation develops.