Tanker accident in Badagry leaves one dead


One charred body was reportedly recovered by police officers from a crash involving a tanker loaded with petroleum products, which also left 22 vehicles burnt, at Adodo Junction by Mowo Bus Stop, along the Lagos Badagry Expressway, yesterday.

According to police authorities, the cause of the accident, which occurred around 4pm, is yet to be ascertained. Frank Mba, the spokesperson for the Lagos Police Command, stated that rescue efforts by the police and other law enforcement agencies began within minutes of the inferno. He also advised commuters along that axis not to panic as the police is on top of the situation. In a similar development, on Sunday, at Ibafo, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, a multiple auto crash and inferno, according to eyewitness, resulted in the death of ten people, and several more injured, with over 19 vehicles burnt.

Residents of the area have urged the Ogun State government to remove the petrol tankers usually parked on both sides of the expressway. According to Silvanus John, who escaped through the window of a commercial bus that was involved in the yesterday’s accident, the crash was caused by a tanker that was trying to park on the roadside. “The first tanker was trying to turn,” he said. “It wanted to park, but it did not give sign so the Jeep that was behind hit it. Then the second tanker was coming; it tried to dodge the Jeep, it went and hit the culvert; then some other cars came and hit themselves there. Then the third tanker was now coming with fuel; it now came and knocked the second tanker and now brought out fire and there was no way for the other cars to come out. One man that survived said his children were inside, so we started calling fire service. They didn’t come in time.”

According to him, no emergency rescue agency came to the scene of the accident, apart from the Red Cross who helped to put out the fire on the cars. “I’m begging the government to see what they can do about this matter because it is getting too much,” said Kolawole Kehinde, another resident of Ibafo. “A lot of lives have been lost now. Look at what happened yesterday; likewise the other time. Let them assist us. We don’t want to be dying anyhow. If they want to kill us, they should announce to Nigerians.”