A major fire and explosion threat was averted in Lagos State after a tanker carrying 33,000 litres of highly flammable ethanol overturned at the Second Rainbow Bridge in the Amuwo-Odofin area.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, who confirmed that no casualty was recorded in the incident.
The tanker, a FOTON truck with registration number APP 346 YC, reportedly fell while negotiating a bend on the bridge. Preliminary findings linked the accident to speeding, which allegedly caused the truck’s turntable to detach and land on the roundabout, obstructing the road.
Oke-Osanyintolu said emergency responders swiftly secured the scene because of the risk posed by the highly flammable substance.
“Recognising the highly volatile nature of ethanol and the imminent risk of fire and explosion, the Eagle Response Team, in collaboration with other responders, immediately cordoned off the area and activated crowd and traffic control measures,” he said.
He added that the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Federal Fire Service applied chemical foam to the tanker and its surroundings to contain fumes and reduce the possibility of a secondary incident.
Officers of the Nigeria Police Force and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority also supported the operation by securing the area and controlling traffic.
The permanent secretary said the coordinated response prevented a potentially devastating incident, with no death or injury reported. He urged motorists, particularly drivers transporting hazardous materials, to obey speed limits and traffic regulations.
In a separate incident, the agency said its Tiger Response Team rescued traffic movement at Oke Koto, Agege, after a Dangote cement truck climbed a road divider and became stuck, obstructing motorists.
The agency attributed the incident to reckless driving, adding that heavy-duty recovery equipment was deployed to remove the truck before it was towed to the LASTMA yard for further action. The road was subsequently reopened, with no casualties recorded.
Oke-Osanyintolu commended emergency responders for their swift intervention and urged residents to report emergencies through the agency’s toll-free numbers, 767 and 112.
