Two men have sustained severe burn injuries after a tanker carrying about 45,000 litres of diesel fell from Otedola Bridge in Lagos and burst into flames on Monday.
The victims were rescued by emergency responders, given initial medical treatment and taken to the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre at Toll Gate for further care.
The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed this in a statement, saying preliminary reports indicated that the tanker plunged from the bridge before catching fire.
According to him, LASEMA’s Lagos Response Unit and an ambulance team from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) provided pre-hospital treatment to the injured men before they were transported by the Lagos State Ambulance Service.
Personnel of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the NNPC Fire Service were among the first responders deployed to contain the blaze.
Oke-Osanyintolu said LASEMA subsequently activated its emergency response procedures, cordoned off the affected area and conducted a risk assessment to support rescue and firefighting operations.
The agency reported that the fire had been brought under control, while dampening operations continued to prevent it from reigniting.
Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency and the police also participated in the emergency response.
LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, commended the emergency responders for their prompt intervention and urged operators of heavy-duty vehicles to conduct regular mechanical inspections and comply with road safety regulations.
The cause of the crash had yet to be established as investigations continued.
LASEMA advised motorists to avoid the affected corridor and use alternative routes while emergency personnel completed their operations.
