The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says 13 vehicles were destroyed in a tanker explosion at Ogere on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Tuesday.

The FRSC Sector Commander in Ogun, Ahmed Umar, said the explosion occurred at about 6.20 a.m in front of Romona trailer park on the expressway.

Giving an update, he said, “The fire was serious: six tankers, five trucks, and two cars were burnt in the explosion,’’ adding that one person was rescued and taken to a private hospital in Ogere.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) has advised motorists plying the road to use alternative routes.

TRACE spokesman Babatunde Akinbiyi explained that the tanker, laden with fuel, suddenly burst into flames without any apparent cause.

“Vehicles moving inbound Lagos should go through Saapade-Ode/Remo-Iperu-Sagamu to relink Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

“In addition, vehicles moving inbound Ibadan should also go through Sagamu-Iperu-Ode/Remo-Saapade to relink Lagos-Ibadan Expressway,’’ Mr Akinbiyi said.

The explosion was the fifth involving fuel tankers in the Lagos and Ogun axis this year. A similar fuel tanker-related fire occurred on January 7 on the Apapa-Oshodi expressway.

On March 21, a fuel tanker was the cause of a fire on Otedola Bridge and the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in which many vehicles were burnt.

On March 25, a diesel-laden tanker went up in flames at the Ikotun area of Lagos, destroying vehicles and shops.

On June 17, a fire from the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant at the Ogun State Property Investments Corporation (OPIC) Plaza in Lagos snowballed into an explosion because of a leaking gas truck.

Twenty-five cars were destroyed in the OPIC Plaza inferno, recording many casualties.

(NAN)