Panic gripped residents and workers in Lagos’ Apapa industrial hub on Friday after a fire broke out at the Bono Tank Farm, located within the Best Energy Tank Farm complex in Ibafon.
The blaze, which erupted in the early hours of the day, prompted a swift response from emergency teams of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, preventing the fire from spreading to adjoining tank farms and other critical facilities.
The incident sent workers and residents fleeing for safety as thick smoke billowed from the facility. Eyewitnesses said a loud explosion-like sound preceded the outbreak, triggering panic across the area.
Confirming the incident, the director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, said no casualties had been recorded as of the time of filing this report.
She said firefighters and other emergency responders were fully deployed to contain the blaze and protect nearby installations from the inferno.
The cause of the fire had yet to be determined at press time.
Emergency responders remained at the scene as of press time, monitoring the situation to ensure the fire was completely extinguished and to prevent any re-ignition.
