A gas tanker explosion in the early hours of Saturday has claimed two lives and caused extensive damage to properties along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
The incident occurred at Tera Ahmed bus stop in Sangotedo, following a collision between a gas tanker and a tipper truck.
According to the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the emergency was reported at about 02:36 a.m., prompting a rapid response from fire crews stationed at Lekki Phase II, Oniru, and Epe II.
The agency explained that the accident happened when a speeding 20-tonne tipper truck heading from the Epe axis crashed into a 30-tonne gas tanker that had stopped on the highway without moving off the road.
The collision sparked a fire, which quickly spread to nearby structures, damaging three warehouses and ten roadside shops, including a gym and a generator house.
Firefighters were able to contain the blaze before it escalated further, preventing it from reaching a nearby petrol filling station, a fully loaded 33,000-litre Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) tanker, and other surrounding properties.
In an official update, the Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, said, “The accident which was alerted at 02:36 wee hours Saturday saw Lekki Phase II, Oniru and Epe II Fire Stations of the Agency raised to the scene after it was reported that an oncoming speeding 20 tonnes tipper truck from Epe end rammed from behind into a stationed 30 tonnes gas truck that failed to pull over from the highway.”
She further described the extent of the damage.
“The resultant effects culminated into fire spreading to adjoining three warehouses and 10 roadside shops including a gym and generator house before the fire was put out, saving a Total Petrol Filling Station, its fully loaded 33,000 litres PMS tanker and a host of properties.”
She also confirmed the casualties recorded in the incident.
“After the blaze has been doused, three Sienna bus cars, one Toyota Corolla car and a forklift parked within the aforementioned properties were recovered, just as the tipper driver and his assistant, both male adults were also recovered dead while the gas truck driver escaped unhurt.”
Adeseye added that efforts are ongoing to clear the wreckage of the affected vehicles, while normal activities have since resumed in the area.
“Efforts are ongoing to evacuate the remains of both trucks on the road as normalcy has returned to the scene of the accident,” she noted.
