The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Sunday deployed multiple emergency response teams to contain a tanker explosion at Iyana-Isolo, inward Oshodi, Lagos.
The incident occurred when a petroleum tanker laden with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) overturned and erupted in flames, engulfing at least four other trucks parked nearby.
In a statement issued by the Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment, Mr Taofiq Adebayo, LASTMA General Manager, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, confirmed that swift action by firefighters, police personnel from Aswani, Ilasa, and Mushin divisions, as well as officers of the Neighbourhood Safety Corps, averted a large-scale disaster.
“Preliminary findings show that the inferno was triggered by excessive speeding, which caused the driver to lose control while navigating the inward Oshodi route,” Bakare-Oki stated.
He disclosed that additional LASTMA operatives were dispatched from surrounding zones to reinforce firefighting efforts and ensure full containment of the blaze.
According to him, no lives were lost as operatives promptly cordoned off the area and diverted traffic from Ilasa to Oshodi to prevent further danger.
The general manager cautioned operators of articulated vehicles and fuel tankers to strictly observe Lagos State’s posted speed limits, describing adherence to regulations as a crucial safeguard for lives and property.
Bakare-Oki also encouraged residents to make timely use of LASTMA’s toll-free emergency line, 080000527862, for reporting traffic incidents.
He assured the public that the agency remains fully equipped and prepared to respond swiftly and decisively to emergencies on all major traffic corridors across the state.