• Sanwo-Olu condemns fuel scooping, commends first responders
What could have turned into a major disaster was narrowly averted yesterday after scores of residents rushed to scoop diesel from a fallen fuel tanker at Liverpool Bridge, inward Mile 2, Apapa area of Lagos.

The 33,000-litre articulated Iveco tanker, belonging to the Natural Gas Processing Company (NIPCO) Ltd, reportedly lost control around 7:45 a.m. and toppled on the bridge, spilling large volumes of diesel across the carriageway and the area beneath the elevated structure. About 100 people were said to have gathered at the scene to scoop the highly combustible product before emergency responders intervened.

The tanker, with registration number RBC 98 XX, sustained severe structural damage in the crash. While the driver escaped unhurt, the motor boy was critically injured as the vehicle fell heavily on the passenger side. He was subsequently taken for medical treatment.

The spillage from the bridge to the space underneath heightened fears of a possible explosion or fire outbreak, prompting an emergency response from multiple agencies. The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) arrived at the scene and deployed a crane to upturn the tanker, while the road was closed to traffic to contain the situation.

The oil company later deployed an alternative tanker to transload the remaining diesel. Transloading was completed around 1:30 p.m., after which the damaged vehicle was towed away at about 2:00 p.m. to allow the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service to commence clean-up operations and wash diesel off the road.

Speaking with The Guardian, the Director of Operations at LASEMA, Olatunde Akinsanya, attributed the accident to excessive speed on the bridge.

“It was a massive fall on the side of the passenger side of the truck. At every bend, a minimum speed must be applied,” he said.

“Lagosians must know that at every bend, there is a speed limit that will sustain safety but this driver did not maintain that and that was what led the vehicle to fall; it took the effort of all emergency services including LASEMA, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), and others to ensure that a fire outbreak did not happen as a result of the accident.”

On the condition of the victims, Akinsanya said the motor boy bore the brunt of the impact.

“The truck fell on the side of the motor boy and as a result, he’s critically affected by the fall and he’s receiving treatment while the driver escaped unhurt; one of the roles of the motor boy is to advise the driver to drive at a minimum speed, especially when they are coming at an angle,” he said.

He also warned residents against approaching scenes of fuel spillage.

“The best thing is to stay 100 metres away from the scene of oil spillage and allow emergency services to move in and remove the hazard so that it won’t cause a secondary incident.

Lagosians must stay away from the scene of this nature of this incident,” he added.

To ensure safety and order, officers of the Nigeria Police Force from Area ‘B’ Division, Apapa, provided security reinforcement, working alongside other responders to control crowds, regulate traffic and stabilise the area.

Meanwhile, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, expressed disappointment at residents who attempted to scoop fuel from the fallen tanker, describing the act as reckless and dangerous. He commended the swift actions of first responders, including the police, and warned residents to desist from such behaviour in the interest of public safety.