By Ado Oyeyemi
A major disaster was averted on Wednesday after a tanker carrying 33,000 litres of ethanol overturned at the Second Rainbow Bridge in the Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos State, raising fears of a possible fire or explosion.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency disclosed that no casualty was recorded in the incident, which prompted an emergency response involving firefighters, police officers and traffic management officials.
The agency’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said preliminary investigations indicated that speeding caused the driver of the FOTON truck, with registration number APP 346 YC, to lose control while negotiating a turn on the bridge.
According to him, the truck’s turntable detached and fell onto the roundabout, obstructing the entire stretch of the road.
Oke-Osanyintolu explained that emergency responders quickly secured the scene after recognising the dangers posed by the highly flammable substance.
He said the agency’s Eagle Response Team, working with other emergency personnel, cordoned off the affected area and introduced crowd and traffic control measures to prevent further danger.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Federal Fire Service also deployed chemical foam on the tanker and its surroundings to suppress ethanol fumes and reduce the risk of a secondary incident.
Officers of the Nigeria Police Force and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority supported the operation by securing the scene and controlling vehicular movement.
The permanent secretary said the coordinated response prevented a potentially devastating incident, adding that no life was lost and no injury was recorded.
In a separate incident, a Dangote cement truck climbed a road divider and became stuck at Oke Koto in the Agege area of the state, disrupting traffic.
Oke-Osanyintolu said the agency’s Tiger Response Team from C3 was deployed to the scene in collaboration with LASTMA to restore movement.
He attributed the incident to reckless driving, noting that the agency deployed its heavy-duty recovery equipment, known as Super Metro, to remove the truck.
The vehicle was subsequently towed to the LASTMA yard for further action, while the affected road was reopened to traffic.
No death or injury was recorded in the second incident.
The LASEMA permanent secretary commended the emergency responders for their swift intervention and urged motorists to obey speed limits and traffic regulations, particularly when conveying heavy or hazardous materials.
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He also encouraged residents to report emergencies through the agency’s toll-free lines, 767 and 112.
