By Akpa Evelyn Ogbene
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has confirmed a multiple fire incident under the Otedola Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The spokesperson for the agency, Olawale Afolabi, confirmed the incident in a message sent to journalists today
According to Afolabi, LASEMA received the distress information at about 4:24 pm and dispatched its Tiger team to the scene of the incident.
The diesel loaded tanker lost control, plunged off the bridge, and burst into flames underneath inward Berger Thanks to the swift response of agencies like Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).
In a separate statement, LASMA disclosed that two casualties were recorded as a result of the accident, which has caused heavy traffic gridlock on the bridge.
“Firefighters are on the scene battling the inferno, while emergency responders are attending to the situation and making arrangements to convey the victims to the hospital.
“Meanwhile, our personnel are managing traffic around the affected corridor to ensure the safety of road users and minimise traffic disruption,” LASTMA stated.
The agency advised motorists to exercise extreme caution when approaching the area and comply with traffic directives as emergency response operations continue.
In a viral video from the scene, firefighters were seen under the bridge trying to put out the blaze, which generated thick smoke that covered a section of the bridge. A voice in the background of the video said the tanker fell from the bridge to the ground before going up in flames.
Meanwhile, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos Sector Command, has attributed the tanker crash and subsequent fire under the Otedola Bridge to speeding.
Emergency operations are still ongoing as of the time of filing this report.
