Two people lost their lives after a diesel tanker exploded in Lagos in the early hours of Christmas Day.
Gatekeepers News reports that Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, said the incident involved a Mack truck carrying diesel along the Oto-Ijanikin axis, near the Lagos State University of Education, inward Agbara, on the Badagry Expressway.
According to preliminary security reports, the crash was caused by excessive speed. The tanker driver was said to have lost control while trying to overtake another vehicle.
The truck later crashed and burst into flames, trapping the driver and an adult female passenger, who both died at the scene.
LASTMA officials on duty quickly cordoned off the affected section of the road to prevent further accidents.
They also contacted the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Federal Road Safety Corps, and the Ijanikin Police Division for emergency response.
The agency said its officers stopped members of the public who had gathered with containers from attempting to scoop the spilled diesel, a move that helped prevent the situation from getting worse before other emergency teams arrived.
After the fire was put out, the burnt tanker was removed from the road by LASTMA to restore traffic flow, while FRSC officials evacuated the remains of the victims.
Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed sadness and offered condolences to the families of the victims, describing the loss as painful, especially during the festive period. He said the crash was avoidable and restated the agency’s commitment to road safety.
Bakare-Oki urged tanker and heavy-duty vehicle drivers to obey speed limits and traffic rules, warning that speeding and reckless driving remain major causes of fatal accidents in Lagos.
He also cautioned the public against scooping fuel from accident scenes, stressing that the practice is dangerous and puts many lives at risk.
