Buildings Destroyed, 40 Injured in Lagos, C’River Explosions
No fewer than 40 people were injured and one person was confirmed dead following separate tanker-related explosions in Lagos and Cross River State.
The Lagos incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday along the Lekki–Epe Expressway near Ologuro Bus Stop, opposite a filling station in the Sangotedo area. According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), a tipper truck rammed into a gas tanker from behind, triggering a massive fire outbreak.
The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed that one person died while two others sustained injuries. He attributed the crash to overspeeding and reckless driving, noting that the resulting fire engulfed several roadside shops and caused extensive damage.
Emergency responders, including the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and ambulance teams, were able to contain the fire before it spread to nearby buildings.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) also confirmed the incident. Its spokesperson, Elizabeth Jayeola, said the crash involved a Sinotruck tipper and a Mack trailer, with four adult males involved; one died, one was injured, and two escaped unhurt. The impact triggered a fire that left the driver burnt beyond recognition, while his assistant sustained injuries.
The Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, disclosed that the fire spread to nearby structures, affecting three warehouses and about 10 roadside shops, including a gym and a generator house. Several vehicles, including buses and cars parked within the vicinity, were also damaged.
In a separate incident in Calabar, no fewer than 38 persons sustained varying degrees of burns following a gas explosion at a filling station. The explosion occurred during the transfer of gas from a storage tank to a service tank when a hose detached, causing gas to leak into the surrounding area.
An eyewitness, Ekanem Essien, described the scene as chaotic, with residents scrambling for safety.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Sunday Eitokpah, said the leakage quickly escalated into a fire, leaving residents with little time to escape. He confirmed that several residents sustained burn injuries, with those in critical condition taken to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital for treatment.
Despite the scale of destruction, authorities confirmed that no fatalities were recorded in the Calabar incident.