Tanker rolls over, leaks flammable material

Part of Oshodi Apapa Expressway (Coker Bus stop) was blocked Friday after a tanker, carrying petrol skidded off the road and turned upside down, spilling the petrol on the road.

According to an eyewitness, the driver of the tanker, failed to negotiate a curve on a bad portion of the highway. The tanker then skidded off the right shoulder of the road and sommersaulted several times before landing on its back. The spilled fuel flowed across the highway into the premises of nearby auto firms Tata Motors, Lanre Shittu Motors.

Officials of the Lagos State Fire Service, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) were called to the scene to control the fuel leak. The Police were also alerted and they arrived the scene to assess the damage around the area.

Those on scene were asked by officials to stay 1,000 feet away from the scene of the accident. By late afternoon, the roadway was still closed and officials said they expected it to remain closed late into the evening hours.

The accident caused a serious traffic jam and commuters had to trek from 2nd Rainbow bus stop to Cele bus stop to catch a bus back, while those coming in from the Eastern part of the country and other tankers that were trapped were still there as at the time of going to the press.

By Daniels Ekugo