Abeokuta (Nigeria): A devastating tanker fire accident occurred at midnight on Friday on the Abeokuta -Sagamu Expressway, resulting in the destruction of properties and an unconfirmed number of fatalities.
In a statement issued on Friday in Abeokuta, the spokesperson of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed the incident.
Akinbiyi said the accident occurred at 1:00 a.m. on the Abeokuta–Kobape–Siun–Sagamu Interchange axis of the Expressway.
He explained that the accident occurred when a 33,000-litre petrol tanker overturned due to excessive speeding and spilt its contents on the road, leading to an inferno.
“The case of an inferno caused by a fuel-laden tanker which fell on its side and spilt its contents around 0100hrs today, along the Abeokuta–Kobape–Siun–Sagamu Interchange stretch of the PMB Expressway, due to excessive speed and loss of control, has been reported.
“The effect of the unfortunate incident also extended to the burning of a truck and a tow vehicle parked by the roadside, as well as the destruction of a PHCN cable supplying electricity to Mowe and its environs,” he said.
Akinbiyi noted that the casualty figure could not be ascertained at the time of this report.
He stated that joint rescue teams from TRACE, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ogun State Fire Service, Nestlé Fire Service, the Police, Amotekun Corps, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were on the ground to put out the fire and initiate the decantation process.
According to him, emergency and rescue workers are still at the scene, restoring normalcy and ensuring the free flow of traffic.
He appealed to road users to remain calm and obey traffic diversions and rerouting measures put in place by security and rescue operatives.
“However, any inconveniences as a result of this unfortunate incident are highly regretted,” Akinbiyi added.