The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) says the tanker fire under the Otedola Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has been extinguished, with traffic flow restored along the corridor.

Two adult men rescued from the incident sustained second, and third-degree burns and were evacuated for further medical treatment.

The agency disclosed this in an update issued by its Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, following the fire involving a fallen tanker conveying 33,000 litres of diesel.

In the statement, LASEMA said the fire was contained through the coordinated efforts of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, its response team, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the Lagos State Ambulance Service.

“The Agency is pleased to inform the public that the fire explosion resulting from a fallen tanker conveying thirty-three thousand litres of diesel under the Otedola Bridge has been successfully curtailed,” the statement reads.

LASEMA said its paramedics and the Lagos State Ambulance Service provided pre-hospital care to the two victims, stabilising them at the scene before evacuating them for further treatment.

According to the agency, firefighting operations have been completed, while dampening operations to prevent the fire from reigniting were 80 per cent complete at the time of the update.

It added that the fallen tanker would be recovered and evacuated from beneath the bridge after the dampening exercise to ensure the safety of the area.

“The State Government is happy to announce that traffic flow along the Otedola Bridge corridor has been fully restored,” the statement said.

However, the agency urged motorists to exercise caution, maintain safe speeds and cooperate with traffic managers deployed along the route.

The agency reaffirmed the Lagos State Government’s commitment to protecting lives and property through prompt emergency response and collaboration among relevant agencies, adding that further updates would be provided as necessary.
Two injured as diesel tanker falls off Otedola Bridge, catches fire

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said its emergency response team, working alongside other emergency agencies, rescued the victims from the scene.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency’s Rescue Unit evacuated the injured persons to the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre at Toll-Gate for immediate medical attention.

Personnel of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service were also deployed to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to nearby infrastructure.

Other agencies involved in the rescue and firefighting operations included the Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency and policemen from the Alausa Police Division.

LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, commended the emergency responders for their swift intervention, saying their coordinated efforts helped rescue the victims and contain the inferno.

He wished the injured persons a speedy recovery and emphasised the importance of prompt emergency response and inter-agency collaboration in managing road traffic incidents.

The authority urged motorists, particularly operators of heavy-duty and articulated vehicles, to carry out regular mechanical inspections, comply with safety standards and adopt responsible driving practices to prevent avoidable accidents.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the tanker crash that triggered a fire under the Otedola Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Monday.

The Head of Operations of the FRSC in Lagos State, Deputy Corps Commander, Emma Fekoya, disclosed this, saying investigators were considering several possible factors behind the incident.

Fekoya said the tanker, which was conveying diesel, lost control, struck a curb and fell beneath the bridge, with the impact triggering the fire.

She said the exact circumstances surrounding the crash had yet to be established.

“There are many reasons, that’s why we say we can’t state it completely,” Fekoya said when asked about the preliminary findings.

“It could be fatigue, it could be maybe somebody cut across his front. Many reasons, so we can’t pin it to one, so it’s under investigation,” She added.

The FRSC official explained that investigators would need to speak with the driver to establish what happened, but said his medical condition had delayed the process.

“And the person to help us is right in the hospital, so until when he’s stabilised, then we can ask those questions,” she said.

On casualties, Fekoya said there were no confirmed deaths, while explaining that the victims were initially taken to a hospital that could not attend to them before being referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

She said the victims were at the facility, where medical personnel were attending to them.