5 die as petrol tanker bursts into flames on Lagos-Ibadan expressway

Five persons were burnt to death in the early hours of yesterday,  as a petrol  tanker burst into flames around Tunji Alegi Filling Station, Kwakyama area of Ogere on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

Ogun State Sector Command of Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Mr. Ahmed Umar, who confirmed the mishap said the accident occurred at 4:46 a.m.

Meanwhile, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, yesterday, said the contractor handling the Lagos-Ibadan expressway would be held accountable for his failure to provide safety signs on the road, which had in recent times led to the unfortunate but preventable loss of lives and carnage on the country’s busiest route.

Abiodun, made the disclosure during the on-the-spot assessment of Ogere toll gate end of the reconstruction work, yesterday.

On the accident, Umar said the suspected cause was wrongful overtaking and dangerous driving on the part of the petrol tanker driver,  who collided with a moving truck and it resulted into fire outbreak.

He noted that the five persons that died were recovered from one of the crashed trucks and were burnt beyond recognition.

He said: “The FRSC wishes to inform the motoring public of the fire incident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which occurred in the early hours of today (yesterday), involving a petrol tanker laden with Premuim Motors Spirit, PMS, around Tunji Alegi Filling Station, Kwakyama area  of Ogere.

“This development calls for caution as the spill has affected some other vehicles parked at the shoulder of the road.

“A  total of five vehicles were involved in the inferno and I urged motorists to cooperate with traffic managers so as to reduce hours spent in the traffic gridlock.”

Governor Abiodun, during the assessment visit, while commiserating with families of those who lost their loved ones, said he would take the issue up with the Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, to ensure expeditious completion of the rehabilitation work that has been on for decades.

He added: “I want to call on the contractor handling this project to expedite action. We can’t take any more excuses of this project. We are going to be holding them responsible for any accident because safety measures are not in place, no safety signs and this is just an unnecessary loss of lives for us.

“We’ve had too many of these type of sad days on our major highways in Ogun State but of particular note is the recurrence of this type of incidents around this corridor of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.”

Credit: Vanguard