Emergency responders in Surulere, Lagos State, successfully averted a potential tragedy on Tuesday, October 10, 2023.
A tanker carrying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, lost control and fell off Stadium Bridge inward Barracks/Ojuelegba on Funsho Williams Avenue, Surulere, Lagos.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Tuesday. According to Adebayo Taofiq, the Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment at LASTMA, the tanker with registration number T–22032EA crashed onto a Golf Volkswagen car (KRD 810 EA) upon falling, causing its contents to spill over the expressway.
Taofiq revealed that emergency responders, including the LASTMA Response Unit (LRU) and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services, quickly arrived at the scene. The Police from Area ‘C’ Police Division at the Barracks provided security backup, while the Lagos Rescue team efficiently managed the situation.
“To prevent another imminent fire explosion, our personnel immediately secured the environment against area boys and other members of the public who had gathered with buckets and jerry cans, intending to scoop the spreading fuel on the road,” stated Taofiq.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the falling Coniol tanker had loaded fuel at Apapa and was en route to Ikeja before it developed a brake failure on Stadium Bridge. Traffic Officer Olukoga Olajide, who led the LASTMA rescue operations, confirmed the arrest of the tanker’s driver, Sefiyu Adamu. Adamu was subsequently handed over to the authorities.
Motorists traveling towards Stadium Bridge inward Barracks/Ojuelegba on Funsho Williams Avenue were redirected to the service lane, allowing them to continue their journeys safely.
