• FG begins probe, seeks enforcement of traffic laws

Engineers under the aegis of Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers (NISTRUCTE) have called for comprehensive integrity test on the Toyota Bridge linking the Muritala Mohammed International Airport from Apapa-Oshodi- Oworonsoki Expressway.

NISTRUCTE president, Dr. Kehinde Osifala, made the declaration while reacting to the fuel tanker explosion that occurred under the Bridge last Thursday. Osifala who spoke with The Guardian emphasized that after the preliminary assessment of the impact of the fire, there should be structural integrity test on that portion of the bridge where the explosion took place.

The tanker, with registration number FKJ-999XX was conveying 44,000 litres of diesel, crashed with another trailer and discharged its contents, which led to an explosion at Toyota bus stop.

The Guardian learnt that the vehicle, which is supposed to carry 33 litres of diesel, was contesting the road with another, which led to a tyre burst and when the wheel of the deflated tyre made contact with the concrete, it ignited fire leading to an explosion

The content spilled on the surface of the carriage way to the lowest point and then accumulated under the bridge where the fire was more severe.

Dr. Osifala said experts, who will determine the impact of the fire on the bridge, should carry out the test. He urged the government to bring control of tankers in the county to avert further incidence.

According to him, most of the tankers being brought into the country are condemned and not used where they are imported.

“We need to control our borders and import of these vehicles, some of them have no brakes. Customs can know the history of the vehicles through their Chassis numbers to determine their state.

“The best thing is not to allow such vehicles to come in because most of the accidents we have in the expressway and everywhere are caused by the tankers and haulage vehicles and it has to be controlled. Once you do it once or twice everything will stop”, he added.

Meanwhile, The Federal Government said it has commenced investigations on the bridge to determine the integrity and impact of the explosion.

The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Olukayode Popoola, an engineer, told The Guardian after a tour of the scene that the impact was much.

“We are taking sample which we will analyse in the laboratory to determine the extent of damage on the piers and abutments.”

According to him, HITECH, the contractor, handling the road, has been directed to cordon off the bridge, because government does not want to take any risk until the severity of the damage is determined.

Popoola urged the Federal Road Safety Corps to commence enforcement of the traffic laws by taking off rickety vehicles plying the roads and causing damage to assets. He stressed that many innocent lives have been lost due to the carelessness of one person.

“Apart from the fact that these vehicles are rickety, they still carry overload. A vehicle that is supposed to carry 33 litres of diesels, you see them carry 50, 60 and up to 80 litres. When they get to the carriage way they will not be able to move and they will still be contesting road with one another.

The FRSC, he said, should make sure they do their work and ensure that they go to tank farms to see if the vehicles are road worthy before they set out on the roads.

“ According to him, “Our own is to construct roads. We do not have powers to enforce. We are to make sure that the roads are in good condition. This Apapa- Oshodi Expressway is in good condition, so nobody should said there are potholes that would have caused this accident.

“It is the recklessness of the driver that caused this and it is the responsibility of law enforcement agents like FRSC, to take care of that”.