Gridlock as tanker explodes in Oshodi
Favour Rotimi
A petrol-laden tanker exploded on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway inward Oshodi, between Iyana Isolo and Five Star bus stops, on Sunday afternoon, leaving several people injured and causing a major traffic gridlock.
The incident, which occurred around 3:00 p.m., was triggered when the speeding tanker collided with a commercial yellow bus attempting to rejoin the expressway after picking passengers at the Iyana Isolo bus stop.
Eyewitnesses said the impact caused the tanker to skid off balance and explode instantly, engulfing both the bus and a logistics truck on the service lane in flames.
“The three occupants of the commercial bus sustained serious injuries. One of them had both legs badly damaged, while the other two suffered varying degrees of injuries,” Mushines reported.
The intense fire rendered the highway impassable until firefighters and emergency responders arrived promptly to contain the blaze. Their swift intervention prevented further casualties and wider damage.
The Chairman of Mushin Local Government, Hon. Olatunbosun Haruna Aruwe visited the accident scene, commending the firefighters, LASTMA officials, and other emergency workers for their professionalism. He cautioned drivers against overspeeding, especially around bus stops, and urged commercial bus operators under the Iyana Isolo bridge to exercise more care when pulling onto the road.
As of press time, the fire had been extinguished, the tanker cleared to one side of the expressway, and normal vehicular movement restored. The affected commercial bus was also towed away.
