Tanker explosion in Lagos leaves two dead, 23 vehicles razed

By Emmanuel Awosika

Another tanker explosion in Lagos has killed two people and razed over two dozen vehicles, Lagos Street Journal reports.

The incident occurred around 1am on Saturday morning at the Kara bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Allegedly the tanker laden with petroleum had its brakes fail and rammed headlong into a barricade before landing on its side.

The tanker caught fire shortly afterwards with ten persons sustaining injuries in the inferno while 23 vehicles were burnt. A driver and his motor allegedly lost their lives in the explosion as well.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) intervened to contain the fire but were attacked by miscreants, forcing responders to seek safety in the nearby Isheri Police Station.

This is according to LASEMA Director-General, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, who called attention to the recent spate of attacks on responders discharging their duties.

He said that the responders returned to put out the fire, in company of armed security operatives.

The LASEMA boss confirmed the death of the two persons, adding that the injured had received treatment.

He gave the breakdown of vehicles razed in the inferno as: one 45,000-litre petroleum tanker, two articulated vehicles, one bus and 19 passenger cars.