EXPLOSION : NINE DEAD, 54 VEHICLES BURNT AS PETROL TANKER EXPLODES ON LAGOS BRIDGE
A Petrol Tanker has exploded at the Otedola Bridge area of Ojodu-Berger in Lagos, on Thursday claiming no fewer than nine lives and burning 54 vehicles, including a tricycle.
The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, also had soothing words for the victims Thursday, saying everything would be done to ameliorate their pains.
At the scene of Thursday explosion, pandemonium was the order of the day after the tanker, which was fully laden with petrol, exploded and engulfed virtually all the vehicles around it as well as some of their occupants.
While nine bodies were recovered as at press time, several others with various degrees of injury were also rescued and taken to the Accident and Emergency Centre for treatment.
Some of the injured persons, who experienced third degree burns, were given first aid treatment before they were rushed to the accident centre in the state.
It was further gathered that the casualty figure was high because of the huge vehicular traffic on the bridge before the explosion occurred.
According to an eyewitness account, the tanker fell while manoeuvring the bridge, thus spilling its content on the road.
A witness, Samson Ojo, said, “I was driving inwards Lagos from Berger and was approaching the Otedola Bridge when the explosion occurred.
“My first emotion was sheer panic as the entire area shook as ball of flame erupted into the sky somewhere down the road. Like other motorists, I parked and came out to observe what happened.
“When some of us bravely made our way down, we saw people fleeing from their cars as the fire was escalating. The screaming of those in pain is not something I will forget in a hurry.
“We tried to do the little we could do to help put out the flames but nothing worked until the fire service trucks came and started dousing the flames from one vehicle to another.”
Another eyewitness, Kehinde Osamor, said the casualty figure was less because people abandoned their vehicles and escaped the inferno.
He said: “We were all trying to navigate the bridge when this same tanker driver tried to climb it. We don’t know what happened but he suddenly started rolling back.
“Our immediate thought was to ensure he didn’t roll over any of us and surprisingly, the tanker fell sideways and its content started spilling on the road.
“Some of us immediately left our cars and ran. Some people stayed put. The next thing we heard was an explosion and some vehicles caught fire. It was a race of the fittest.”
Once the news filtered into town, emergency agencies, including the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS), Lagos Fire Service, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and other secondary responders immediately arrived at the scene.
While the emergency responders set out to rescue as many as they could, they literally picked up some of the dead bodies of the deceased persons, who had attempted to flee, on the ground.
While the injured were given first aid treatment before they were rushed to the hospital, the bodies of the deceased persons were taken to the morgue.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has commiserated with families of victims who lost their lives and property in the explosion.
The government, in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, described the incident as a sad development, saying that the incident was most unfortunate and regrettable.
“On behalf of the Lagos State Government, we extend our deepest commiseration to the families of persons who lost their lives as well as properties to the incident. Our thoughts and prayers are with them in this time of pain and grief.
“As a government, we would not relent in putting measures in place to ensure safety of lives and property of all residents,” Bamigbetan said.
The commissioner said that Governor Ambode has directed all relevant agencies to move into the area to normalise the apprehension that had taken over the area and to also ensure that those in need are adequately taken care of.
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