° NEMA gives urgent safety measures
Many people escaped death Thursday night in Lagos when a fuel tanker crashed in front of House number 229, Moshood Abiola Way, Opposite Fashola Estate, Palex busstop by Iganmu Bridge, ijora, Lagos and exploded.
The fire from the tanker consumed 13 vehicles which included : two buses, two cars, a trailer loaded with Sardines and detergents, on Sport utility vehicle (SUV), three flat body trailers, Two 20 feet containers, and Two PMS tankers.
Witnesses and residents are still thanking God for saving them from what would have been one of the greatest fire disaster in Lagos.
A witness, Paul Nwanko, said that at about 7.30, a tanker fully loaded with fuel ,lost control and crash-landed and another truck ran into it and the tank exploded making heavy sound, ” it was as if there was a bomb explosion like it happened one time in Ikeja Military Countonement, so everybody started running helter skelter, some people took cover in their houses. I for one after scampering for safety,summoned the courage to frond out what really happened, only to discover that it was not bomb explosion,but a taker accident,so we stated calling emergency responders.
” Our surprise is that no one died. Everyone who was involved in the accident came out and was thankful to God for the miraculous escape. We also thank God that there was no traffic at the time of the accident. The casualties would have been monumental. I think the fuel scarcity played a vital, because the place used to be a gridlock prone area. Imagine what would have happened if the fire had escalated to the buildings around the scene of the explosion. I think the emergency responders were able to arrive on time because there was no traffic”.
Southwest Coordinator National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Mr. Ibrahim Falinloye said, “There was no injury or casualty in the incident.It was related that one of the tanker crashed on the trailer with detergent and Sardine, other vehicles ran onto the first two crashed vehicles.All occupants and drivers of all vehicles jumped into safety before the product caught fire. The incident occurred at about 7:30 pm on Thursday. The fire from the tanker consumed 13 vehicles which included : two buses, two cars, a trailer loaded with Sardines and detergents, on Sport utility vehicle (SUV), three flat body trailers, Two 20 feet containers, and Twoo PMS tankers. 12 high tension electric poles were destroyed in the incident. The carcases of the burnt vehicle are being evacuated by LASEMA.
Meanwhile, NEMA has advised on the urgent safety measures the public , especially residents of Ijora and eviron should take.
According to NEMA,residents of Moshood Abiola Way through Sifax down to Ijora Undervridge to Apapa are urgently being implored to suspend use of naked fire at the moment.This is because in the process of evacuating the tankers ,PMS products are spilling into the drainages moving towards their communities.At the same, no one is advised to use the streams and tributary of any rivers for washing or bathing.The Fire Services are presently carrying blanketing to make the product ineffective.Utmost Cautions are highly advised”.
