The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has announced a fatal tanker explosion involving a Mack Truck conveying diesel, which occurred in the early hours of today at the Oto-Ijanikin axis, in the vicinity of the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), inward Agbara, along the Badagry Expressway, Lagos.

Preliminary findings from security investigations indicate that the unfortunate incident was caused by excessive speed, as the tanker driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle while attempting to overtake another road user.

The vehicle subsequently crashed and erupted into a raging inferno, tragically trapping and claiming the lives of the driver and an adult female occupant.

LASTMA personnel who were actively monitoring vehicular movement within the corridor secured and cordoned off the affected stretch of the expressway to forestall secondary incidents, while immediately notifying the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (Ojo Unit), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Ijanikin Police Division for urgent emergency response and security reinforcement.

The LASTMA operatives prevented members of the public who had converged on the scene with containers from scooping the spilt diesel. This timely intervention effectively averted a potential escalation of the tragedy before the arrival of other emergency and security agencies.

Following the successful containment of the blaze and clearance by relevant authorities, the severely burnt tanker was evacuated from the expressway by LASTMA personnel to prevent further road mishaps along the busy transport corridor, while FRSC removed the remains of burnt bodies.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed sorrow and extended condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased, particularly poignant during this festive season.

He described the incident as deeply painful and entirely avoidable, reaffirming the Authority’s steadfast commitment to road safety and the sanctity of human life.

Bakare-Oki further underscored the urgent necessity for tanker and articulated vehicle drivers to exercise heightened caution, observe prescribed speed limits and comply strictly with all traffic regulations, noting that reckless driving and speeding remain dominant factors in fatal road traffic crashes across the metropolis.

He also seized the opportunity to caution members of the public against the dangerous and irresponsible practice of scooping petroleum/Diesel products from accident scenes, emphasising that such conduct poses grave and far-reaching risks to both individuals and the general public.