The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has confirmed that two persons lost their lives following a diesel tanker explosion along the Agbara area of the Badagry Expressway in the early hours of Thursday.
In a statement signed by the LASTMA spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, the incident occurred at the Oto-Ijanikin axis, near the Lagos State University of Education, after a truck conveying diesel reportedly lost control while attempting to overtake another vehicle, resulting in a crash and subsequent explosion.
“Preliminary findings from security investigations indicate that the unfortunate incident was precipitated by excessive speed, as the tanker driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle while attempting to overtake another road user,” the statement said. “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 said its personnel, who were already monitoring traffic in the area, responded promptly to the incident by cordoning off the affected section of the expressway to prevent secondary accidents. The authority also alerted the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (Ojo Unit), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Ijanikin Police Division for emergency response and security support.
The statement added that LASTMA operatives prevented members of the public from scooping the spilled diesel with containers, describing the act as extremely dangerous and capable of triggering further explosions and loss of lives.
“In a further demonstration of vigilance and unwavering commitment to public safety, LASTMA operatives prevented members of the public who had converged on the scene with assorted containers from scooping the spilt diesel,” the statement noted, adding that the intervention helped avert a possible escalation of the tragedy.
Following the containment of the fire, the severely burnt tanker was evacuated from the expressway by LASTMA officials, while the remains of the deceased were removed by the FRSC.
Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, commiserated with the families of the victims, describing the crash as “deeply painful and entirely avoidable.” He reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to road safety and urged tanker and articulated vehicle drivers to adhere strictly to speed limits and traffic regulations.
Bakare-Oki warned that reckless driving and over speeding remain major causes of fatal road crashes across Lagos.
