Gas tanker catches fire in Lagos

A gas-laden tanker caught fire in the early hours of Thursday along Abaranje Road at Ola Farm Bus Stop in the Ikotun area of Lagos State, prompting a swift emergency response that prevented what authorities described as a potential disaster.

The spokesperson for the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Olawale Afolabi, said the blaze was quickly brought under control, with no deaths or injuries recorded.

According to Afolabi, preliminary investigations showed that the tanker was travelling at high speed when it hit a road bump, causing the driver to lose control. The impact reportedly led to a tyre burst, which triggered the fire.

He said LASEMA responders, in collaboration with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, successfully extinguished the flames and prevented the fire from spreading to nearby buildings and other vehicles.

Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and officers from the Ikotun Police Division also assisted by managing traffic and maintaining security around the scene.

Afolabi said efforts were underway to remove the burnt tanker from the road using heavy-duty equipment to restore normal traffic flow.

Reacting to the incident, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, urged motorists to observe speed limits, particularly in residential areas and around speed bumps, stressing that caution remains key to preventing avoidable road accidents.

He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to prompt emergency response and public safety, while encouraging residents to report emergencies through the state’s toll-free lines, 112 and 767.