Lagos oil tanker fire razes houses, cars

bibing

An oil tanker spilled its content around the Ojuelegba area of Surulere, Lagos early on Saturday, leading to a fire that destroyed four houses and several vehicles parked in the area.

The News Agency of Nigeria learnt that the fuel-laden tanker was conveying 33,000 litres of petrol and fell on the railings of the Ojuelegba bridge around 2.00a.m.

Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Mr. Rasak Fadipe, said the tanker was ascending the Ojuelegba bridge, but rolled back and spilled the content on the road.

Fadipe told NAN that some of the spilled content went into a nearby canal in the area.

He said, “When we came here at about 5.30a.m, we tried to dispense liquid foam into the manholes and canal to avoid fire outbreak.

“I had gone round to see the area affected by the spill. While going round, I met some men smoking Indian hemp along the canal.

“I warned them against it, that it may result to fire outbreak.

”They disregarded my advice. It was not long after talking with them that the fire broke out from there.

“If we had not dispensed chemical foams into the canal, the whole of Barracks area in Surulere would have been burnt down.

”So far, no casualties, three persons were taken to hospital as a result of shock.”

Source: Punch