A catastrophic explosion was narrowly averted at the Second Rainbow Bridge along the Mile 2 axis in Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, on Wednesday morning after a tanker carrying 33,000 litres of highly flammable ethanol overturned.
The emergency response was confirmed in an official statement by the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu.
According to Dr. Oke-Osanyintolu, the crash was linked to reckless driving when the operator of the heavy-duty tanker lost control while negotiating a sharp turn on the bridge.
Following the incident, LASEMA’s primary response team was deployed alongside officers from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service to secure the hazardous site. First responders quickly blanketed the spilled chemical with foam insulation to prevent a fire outbreak.
The LASEMA boss revealed that the agency’s heavy-duty recovery equipment, “Super Metro,” was mobilized to the scene to lift the fallen vehicle. The truck was subsequently towed to the LASTMA yard to clear the thoroughfare.
”No death or injury was recorded in the incident,” Dr. Oke-Osanyintolu stated, adding that emergency personnel successfully stabilized the scene and reopened the highway to normal vehicular movement.
Dr. Oke-Osanyintolu commended the joint response team for their prompt intervention and professional handling of the spill. He strongly admonished motorists, particularly drivers transporting combustible and heavy materials, to observe speed limits and adhere strictly to road safety regulations.
He further urged Lagos residents to remain vigilant and report emergencies promptly to relevant authorities using the state’s toll-free lines, 767 and 112.
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