By Olasunkanmi Akoni
Panic erupted on Friday afternoon after a mini gas tanker caught fire along the Owode-Elede corridor inward Ikorodu, Lagos, following a gas leak.
Emergency responders said there were no reported casualties as of the time of filing this report.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, in collaboration with the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), swiftly contained the fire, preventing what could have escalated into a major disaster.
It was gathered that the gas tanker developed a mechanical fault while in transit, leading to a leakage of compressed gas, which subsequently ignited and set the vehicle ablaze.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the fire resulted from the gas leakage.
LASTMA’s Rescue and Recovery Team was immediately deployed to evacuate the affected vehicle from the road.
General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said the prompt and coordinated response of emergency agencies prevented the incident from escalating.
“Through a prompt, coordinated and highly professional emergency response operation, the fire was immediately contained, thereby preventing its escalation into a potentially catastrophic inferno capable of endangering lives, property and critical road infrastructure,” he said.
To minimise traffic disruption, LASTMA operatives created an alternative route by combining one serviceable lane with the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor to facilitate controlled vehicular movement.
As a result, traffic along the affected corridor remained orderly despite the emergency operations.
Bakare-Oki commended the swift collaboration among the emergency responders, describing their intervention as crucial in averting a potentially devastating incident.
He also urged motorists to exercise caution, obey traffic regulations and cooperate with emergency personnel during rescue operations.
“LASTMA remains resolute in its commitment to safeguarding lives and property, ensuring traffic flow and delivering prompt emergency response services across Lagos State’s transportation network,” he said.
