Lagos Tanker Explosion: Two bodies recovered, four buildings, 15 vehicles burnt

Two unidentified bodies have been recovered following a tanker explosion on Tuesday night that triggered a massive fire on Otedola Bridge, Lagos.

Four people sustained varying degrees of injuries, while four buildings and 15 vehicles were destroyed in the blaze.

Spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident at 10:30 p.m., stating, “The accident was suspected to have occurred when the vehicle was trying to ascend the link road to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway by Otedola Bridge. Consequently, the vehicle somersaulted, spilled its entire contents on the road, and fire ignited immediately.

“The vehicle’s registration number and make are still unknown. However, a total of four buildings, 15 burnt vehicles, including tricycles, an unspecified number of shops, and household properties were lost in the inferno.

“The number of human lives lost is still being quantified, as only two bodies have been recovered. A private hospital was affected, but details of the victims there remain sketchy. More updates will follow as the rescue operation continues.”

However, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) provided a slightly different report, confirming the death of one person in the explosion.

According to the South West Coordinator, Ibrahim Farinloye, four others were injured, while a commercial storey building was affected by the resulting fire.

“One person died, four people were injured, 14 vehicles and four shops were destroyed, while one commercial storey building was affected,” Farinloye said.

Meanwhile, the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, disclosed that the fire also spread to a church, an adjoining bungalow, and four vehicles.

The explosion caused panic among motorists, with many scrambling to escape, making abrupt U-turns, and abandoning their vehicles in fear of being trapped in the inferno.