Tragedy struck in the early hours on Saturday when two people, a tipper driver and his assistant, both male adults were burnt beyond recognition, and many others injured when he rammed into a fully loaded stationary truck with gas along Lekki-Epe Expressway, Tera Ahmeed Bus Stop, Sangotedo area of Lagos, causing an instant explosion.
The driver of the tipper, who was said to have been driving at a very reckless speed and lost control and rammed into the stationary gas truck.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, confirmed the incident.
According to reports, the accident occured about 2 am, today.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service subsequently, brought the situation under control after putting out the fire.
Controller General, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, said the agency received alert of the accident at about 02:36 am wee hours Saturday while Lekki Phase II, Oniru and Epe II Fire Stations of the Agency were promptly deployed to the scene.
The accident occurred after the oncoming speeding 20 tonnes tipper truck from Epe suddenly rammed from behind into a stationed 30 tonnes gas truck that failed to pull over from the highway.
The resultant effect culminated into fire spreading to adjoining three warehouses and 10 roadside shops including a gym and generator house before the fire was put out by emergency responders.
A Total Petrol Filling Station, its fully loaded 33,000 litres PMS tanker and a host of properties were saved in the process.
After the blaze has been doused, three Sienna bus cars, one Toyota Corolla car and a forklift parked within the aforementioned properties were burnt to ashes.
“The driver of the tipper-lorry and his assistant, both male adults were also recovered burnt beyond recognition while the gas truck driver escaped unhurt,” Adeseye confirmed.
At press time, 11 a.m. efforts were ongoing to evacuate the remains of both trucks off the road as normalcy returned to the scene of the accident.
