LASEMA extinguishes tanker fire, clears other locations of fallen trucks

Etim Ekpimah

Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) teams, during the night, extinguished the fire from a fallen diesel tanker at Otedola Bridge inward Berger, Lagos State. 

It was learnt that LASEMA’s Response Teams also recovered the fallen oil tanker that exploded from its spilt content which left several other vehicles burnt alongside it. 

The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, who confirmed the accident, said the agency responded to the fire disaster.  

He said: “Upon arrival of the agency’s officials at the incident scene, it was observed that a tanker conveying an unknown quantity of diesel, fell on its side spilling its content, which resulted in an explosion that affected a truck conveying goods.” 

This was contained in a statement issued by Head, Public Affairs, LASEMA, Nosa Okunbor, on Sunday and made available to journalists. 

The DG/CEO noted that no injuries were recorded while explaining that the extent of property damaged was yet to be determined in the then-ongoing rescue/recovery operation. 

“LASEMA Response Team’s prompt arrival at the accident scene, in conjunction with the LASG Fire, LASEMA Fire Unit, and Police Officers from Isheri Police Station ensured aversion of eminent disaster and the successful recovery of the affected vehicles. 

“The inferno affected an unidentified truck, tanker, and a car, which were all recovered earlier Sunday with the use of the agency’s heavy-duty equipment, setting the road free from all impediments. 

“In the same development, while recovering the fallen oil tanker at Otedola Bridge, other LASEMA Response Teams recovered a broken-down containerized truck after Owode Onirin inward Ikorodu, along Ikorodu road, as well as a trailer conveying a 40ft container which broke down due to mechanical error that obstructed the free flow of traffic along Cement Bus Stop inward Dopemu,” he said. 

According to him, a LASEMA Response Team is presently in a recovery operation of a truck accident involved in an accident at the base of Ijora Bridge where its container fell sideways when it suffered the mechanical error leading to brake failure and a roll-back, that made it hit the truck behind. 

Oke-Osanyintolu, stated that the fallen container incident which did not record injuries, nor loss of lives is being conducted with the Agency’s heavy-duty equipment-the Goliath, while the team is also taking charge of traffic control to ensure a smooth and quick recovery.