Updated: Another Lagos Tanker Fire Burns 34 Houses, 70 Shops

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News From The State Saturday, June 6th, 2015

By Ayo Balogun, Lagos – Another fuel tanker exploded at Idimu area of Lagos on Saturday, burning 34 houses and 70 shops in the proces.

Last Tuesday, a tanker had fallen down from the Iyana Ipaja bridge, burning 21 cars, 44 shops, five tricycles and three houses.

Saturday’s tragedy which occurred around 12.00am is happeing in less than one week after the Iyana Ipaja tragedy occurred.

The explosion left scores of residents whose houses and shops and kiosks were completely burnt to ashes devastated.

It was learnt that one of the houses gutted belongs to the mother of the former boss of Egbe-Idimu LCDA, Waheed Bello.

Witnesses said the explosion was caused by some tanker drivers said to be driving recklessly on the narrow path with their trucks fully loaded with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and diesel.

Disaster struck when one of the rather careless tankers drivers, lost control at a sharp bend, tumbled thereby spilling over 33,000 litre of PMS at the Idimu main junction.

An eye witness, Charles Ebohodaghe said he heard twin explosions immediately the tanker tumbled, saying the spilled content caught fire from a nearby Suya spot at past 12.00 am

“It was one of the most dangerous moments I have seen since 11 years I have been living here. The truck drivers are often careless around here once it is night and the road slightly free. I was up there in my room when I saw these two trucks going at top speed to catch up with each other.

“At the BRT end of Idimu, they caught up with each other and were both still speeding. But on getting to the bend, one of them lost control causing this accident,” he said.

Another eye witness, Wakilu Hamzat said that he was not sleeping when the tragedy occurred, saying the moment he saw that the tanker had fallen, he quickly told his family to flee because fire could occur at any time.

He said he had to raise the alarm in the community which woke up many who were sleeping as they hurriedly vacated their houses, some by scaling the fences in the pandemonium that followed, adding that few minutes later the tanker exploded.

According to the Director, Lagos Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, “the fire service received the distress call by 12:08am and we responded promptly. The effort we put on it has saved the MRS fuel station from being engulfed by fire and we have as well saved several buildings here‎. I want to thank the communities that supported us and other emergency responders.

“But this fire has consumed a lot of firefighting materials that could have been used to put out about 15 to 20 fire outbreak‎s. As the governor said, something has to be done to this type of incidents,” he said.