At least nine people on Thursday died, four injured and 54 vehicles razed after a petrol tanker fell on the Otedola Bridge in Berger, Lagos.
The incident which occurred around 5pm, caused serious traffic snarl in and out of the state.
It was gathered that emergency workers had a tough time accessing the scene as a result of the traffic and crowd.
It was gathered that the tanker, laden with Premium Motor Spirit, had fallen while ascending the bridge outward Lagos.
According to witnesses, the tanker spilled its content backwards, prompting most of the occupants of the vehicles behind it to flee to safety.
However, the nine dead persons were caught up in the inferno, as the positions of their bodies showed they were also trying to run away.
According to the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Adesina Tiamiyu, two of the injured persons were in critical condition.
He said: “A tanker exiting Lagos lost control while climbing the Otedola Bridge and spilled its content backwards. This caused a fire outbreak and 54 vehicles were affected.
“Nine bodies were recovered and four injured people. Two of the injured were in critical condition. They have all been moved to the hospital.
“We are removing the burnt vehicles from the road in order to ease traffic congestion. We advice people travelling to Ibadan or outside Lagos to use alternative routes.”
Commander, Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Tunji Disu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) told our Correspondent that they had rough time controlling the crowd, appealing to residents to stop overcrowding disaster scenes. - The Nation
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