The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has blamed the gas tanker explosion at Ologuro bus stop in the Sangotedo area of the state on overspeeding and reckless driving. 

LASEMA’s permanent secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said this in a statement made available to journalists on Saturday in Lagos.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the immediate cause of the incident was over-speeding and reckless driving on the part of the tipper truck driver,” he said.

Two people died in an explosion along the Lekki-Epe Expressway  on Saturday after two heavy duty vehicles collided, and destroyed property.

Speaking with the Peoples Gazette, spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofiq, said a truck filled with sand, rammed into an illegally parked tanker before the explosion.

Mr Adebayo said, “The incident happened around 2:30 a.m. It claimed two lives, destroyed properties, including warehouses and road side trucks. The incident happened at Tera Ahmed Bustop, along Lekki-Epe Expressway.

“A laden truck fully loaded with sand, coming from Epe, rammed into an illegal parked 33,000 PMS tanker. As a result of the collision, it engulfed in fire. The tipper driver and his motor boys were trapped, and they got burnt beyond recognition.

“The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, other emergency responders were led by LASTMA to the scene of the event. The carcass of the tipper that got burnt and that of the tanker were immediately evacuated by LASTMA operatives with high capacity rescue equipment.”

He however stated that the driver of the tanker escaped the inferno.

In a separate statement, the LSFRS Controller General, Margaret Adeseye, said, “The accident which was alerted at 02:36 wee hours Saturday saw Lekki Phase II, Oniru and Epe II Fire Stations of the agency raced to the scene after it was reported that an oncoming speeding 20-tonne tipper truck from the Epe end rammed from behind into a stationed 30-tonne gas truck that failed to pull over from the highway.

“The resultant effects culminated in fire spreading to three adjoining warehouses and 10 roadside shops, including a gym and generator house, before the fire was put out, saving a Total Petrol Filling Station, its fully loaded 33,000-litre PMS tanker and a host of properties.”

Mrs Adeseye said emergency responders extinguished the fire and recovered three Sienna buses, a Toyota Corolla, and a forklift from the affected area.