A tanker truck transporting compressed natural gas (CNG) has exploded in Lagos state in southwestern Nigeria, killing two people and injuring 14, officials said.
Nigeria has seen several fuel tanker explosions in recent months, killing around 300 people.
The latest incident occurred on Tuesday night under Otedola Bridge, part of a major highway connecting Lagos to other areas of the country.
The truck was reportedly making a turn to deliver CNG at a nearby gas station close to the bridge when it fell on its side.
Multiple witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with flames engulfing several vehicles and nearby buildings.
Vehicle somersaulted
“The tanker fell on my car and pushed it away from the road. I quickly ran when I saw its gas, and the tanker exploded in less than three minutes,” Ajayi Segun, who lost his Sienna vehicle in the inferno, told Anadolu news agency.
The spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, in a preliminary report confirmed that four buildings were razed and 15 vehicles were burnt to ashes.
Recurrent fuel tanker explosions in Nigeria and casualties caused by people getting caught in infernos while trying to scoop up spills have turned the spotlight on the need for awareness and safer ways of transportation.
“The accident was suspected to have occurred when the vehicle was trying to ascend the link road to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway by Otedola Bridge,” he said.
“Consequently, the vehicle somersaulted, spilled its entire contents on the road, and fire ignited immediately.”
Buildings burnt down
“The number of human lives lost is still being quantified, as only two bodies have been recovered. A private hospital was affected, but details of the victims there remain sketchy. More updates will follow as the rescue operation continues.
“The vehicle’s registration number and make are still unknown. However, a total of four buildings, 15 burnt vehicles, including tricycles, an unspecified number of shops and household properties were lost in the inferno,” Hundeyin added.
Rescue operations continue. The latest incident marks the 10th explosion in Nigeria since the beginning of the year.
