Tanker accident causes gridlock in Lagos

There was chaos yesterday morning around Corona Estate in Gbagada, Lagos, when a tanker, with registration number BAU 219XB, carrying 33,000 liters of diesel (AGO), coming from Oshodi, descended inward Ikorodu road through Anthony link road and suddenly slipped off the road, and ran into the Corona Children School perimeter fence, pulling down part of the fence, before falling and spilling its contents on the surroundings.

This caused a gridlock on the road leading to Oworonsoki and the Anthony bypass, as motorists and commuters, fearing an explosion, avoided the roads, which were barricaded by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officials.
According to one resident, Kenny Oyekunle, “ this is about the eight or ninth truck accident. Today, it is a diesel tanker, last time it was a container, which fell on a couple and killed them”.

Commenting on the accident, Head of Public Affairs unit of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr. Kehinde Adebayo, said the agency received a distress call by 11.35 pm and sent out the emergency response team to the scene.

He explained that the team gathered that the truck accident probably occurred due to reckless driving of the driver or brake failure.

When asked what measures were taken to contain the damage, Kehinde said: “We have the Lagos state fire service on ground. They are using blanket or foam to reduce the spillage of the content so as not to lead to any fire outbreak .”