By Oluwatosin Maliki
A potential disaster was narrowly averted on Tuesday in the Surulere area of Lagos State when emergency responders sprang into action.
A fully loaded truck carrying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, lost control and toppled over on Stadium Bridge, heading towards Barracks/Ojuelegba on Funsho Williams Avenue, Surulere, Lagos.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) confirmed this incident on Tuesday.
According to Adebayo Taofiq, the Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment at LASTMA, the tanker, with registration number T–22032EA, “fell on a Golf Volkswagen car (KRD 810 EA), spilling its contents across the other side of the expressway.”
The statement revealed that the accident was caused by a brake failure on the part of the truck. Thankfully, swift action by emergency responders prevented a potentially catastrophic situation.
The statement partly reads, “Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and other emergency responders today prevented another petroleum fire explosion on top of Stadium Bridge inward Barracks/Ojuelegba on Funsho Williams Avenue, Surulere, Lagos”.
He noted that relevant agencies which include the LASEMA Response Unit and the Lagos State Fire were immediately called to the accident scene to prevent a fire explosion.
“Mr. Adebayo confirmed that in order to prevent another imminent fire explosion, LASTMA Officials as first emergency responders after arriving at the scene immediately called other emergency responders particularly the Lasema Response Unit and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services”.
The driver, Sefiyu Adamu was arrested and handed over to the Police for further investigation.
“Traffic Officer Olukoga Olajide who led LASTMA rescue operations to the scene confirmed that the driver of the falling Conoil tanker, Sefiyu Adamu, was arrested and handed over to the Police for further investigation”.
“You will recall that the Lagos State Government restricted trucks including petroleum tanker drivers from plying the Ojuelegba, Stadium, and Dorma-long bridges to forestall further accidents on the bridge”.
He explained that motorists coming towards the Stadium Bridge were immediately diverted to ply the service lane as they continued their journey.
Also, note that Policemen from Area ‘C’ Police Division at the Barracks provided security backup at the scene.
“After arriving at the scene, our personnel immediately secured the environment against area boys including other members of the public who had already gathered with buckets/jerry cans with the intention of scooping spreading fuel on the road”.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the falling Conoil tanker loaded fuel at Apapa and was on its way to Ikeja before the truck developed a break failure on Stadium Bridge”.