Tanker fire razes vehicles, left many crying in Lagos

A tanker loaded with 33,000 litres of diesel the day prior to this unleashed huge losses on a few residents of Festac town in Amuwo Odofin nearby authorities place of Lagos state.
The accident, which came about round midday, did no longer declare any life. however one man was injured at the same time as 21 vehicles and 5 motorcycles have been razed.
An eyewitness, Mr. Chukwudi Ibe, said the gasoline tanker was trying to move the Festac link Bridge while the truck rolled again. An explosion sooner or later took place, inflicting panic within the area as humans scampered in distinct directions.
He stated youths inside the vicinity mobilised to prevent the fireplace from causing greater damage, as they driven many parked motors away from the scene of the incident; they also used buckets of water in their bid to put out the raging fire.
in keeping with the witness, federal and Lagos kingdom emergency officers arrived at the scene forty minutes after the fireplace started out, and the damage were performed earlier than their arrival.
one of the sufferers, Mr. Chinedu Nwobo, a automobile supplier, was struck with the heaviest losses. He said the 18 motors on show were completely burnt.
“The tanker motive force has finished me completely. How and where do I begin from after this? I in no way expected this will take place to me at the moment of the yr,” he lamented.
He said the cost of the razed automobiles changed into approximately N100 million.
Nwobo stated he turned into sitting in the front of his workplace while he noticed the tanker driver finding it difficult to climb the bridge, and he suspected the driver wasn’t skilled sufficient.
“a couple of minutes later, we heard an explosion and cars started out reversing. there has been pandemonium.
“I blame the government for the loss of my assets. in the event that they had carried out what they had been alleged to do it might now not have took place. My 17 motors and a truck got burnt. until the brand new nearby authorities officials assumed workplace, no heavy-obligation truck was allowed to bypass via the residential areas. The bridge in question is not meant for heavy-duty vehicles.

“The fire servicemen wasted so much time in responding to the fire. when they arrived, there has been no water in the first car that came. also, when different vehicles arrived, their system changed into in horrific condition as it took them longer time to set them up.
“i have misplaced almost N100 million. i'm in actual surprise proper now and can't accept the scenario. i will’t be liable for the unfortunate loss. i'm appealing to the authorities to return to my useful resource; absolutely everyone knows how tough it's been after going via a lot to get up to now. How can one address this sizeable loss of belongings?” he puzzled.
different citizens inside the area additionally recorded losses. Mr. Charles, who deals in travelling baggage near the scene, stated he misplaced over N1 million to the fireplace catastrophe. every other businessman who become riding behind the unwell-fated tanker stated he misplaced goods worth N1.five million except his vehicle.
however the popular supervisor, Lagos kingdom Emergency control corporation (LASEMA), Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, said the corporation’s response team moved to the scene as soon as it obtained a misery name regarding the incident.
“The mixed efforts of the emergency responders, the police, Lagos nation hearth carrier, Federal hearth service and Lagos Neighbourhood safety Corps become able to placed the hearth out at 2:20pm.
“The inferno of the exploded tanker affected 21 cars (18 automobiles and 3 commuter buses) and 5 motorcycles,” Tiamiyu said.
The enterprise’s rescue/recuperation equipment became visible evacuating the burnt vehicles from the scene. Policemen from the Festac Police department had been additionally handy to prevent hoodlums from unleashing mayhem and to control the big crowd on the scene.
The coincidence precipitated a gridlock around Festac and its environs for many hours.
Chairman of the neighborhood authorities council, Mr. Valentine Buraimoh, expressed shock on the incident. He condemned the elimination of barricades that when included the bridge, adding that the government had already enacted a regulation that prohibits heavy-obligation trucks from passing residential regions.
The council boss stated right now the information broke out, he swung into motion by means of informing the relevant government to do the considered necessary about the incident.