No fewer than 86 vehicles have been reported burnt while scores of people killed in an explosion involving a petrol tanker that occurred at the Otedola bridge end of the Lagos -Ibadan expressway on Thursday.
The explosion created heavy pandemonium on both sides of the ever-busy expressway as scores of.people struggled to escape from the area.
It was gathered that the fire created by the explosion engulfed virtually all the cars around the area.
Although, report says just ten dead bodies have so far being brought out of some vehicles that were trapped when the fire started.
Even though official figure as to the number of casualties was yet to be ascertained, it was gathered that over 80 cars have been razed alongside its occupants.
It was gathered that the casualty figure might be on the high side because of the huge vehicular traffic on the bridge before the explosion went off.
Emergency management workers were said to have been mobilised to the scene to rescue commuters trapped in the accident.
PorscheClassy News learnt that some motorists, who made a U-turn and attempted to flee the scene of the incident, crashed into other vehicles.
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Chike Oti said: “57 vehicles were burnt while ten bodies that were burnt beyond recognition were recovered but feelers says the victims were about 40 or more.
An eyewitness, Nkechi Obiageli, said the accident occurred around 5pm.
She said, “I was in a commercial bus heading towards the Mowe area of Ogun State. The bus was beside the tanker.
“There was traffic and when it cleared a little, the bus driver manoeuvred his way to the front. We were about a few vehicles away from the tanker, when we heard the sound of an explosion.
“The fuel from the tanker spilled on the expressway and all the vehicles at its back went up in flames. People ran for dear life. There was confusion everywhere.”
A bus driver, Sunday Esene, said his vehicle was burnt in the accident.
He said, “I had just dropped off my passengers at Berger bus stop and turned to buy fuel. I was on my way back when I saw the tanker. All of a sudden, it tumbled and hit the median. As soon as I realised that fuel was spilling out of the tanker, I abandoned my bus and jumped to the other side of the road. A few seconds later, the tanker exploded. I am sure over 50 vehicles got burnt with many lives lost.”
A motorist, Aderibigbe Oluwafemi, said he escaped death by a whisker as the tanker was in front of his vehicle.
He said, “We were in traffic. When the traffic eased a little, I noticed that the tanker in my front did not move. The next thing I saw was that the tanker started moving backwards and it fell. Immediately it fell, I opened my door, removed my key, phone and jumped to the other side of the road. My car got burnt, but I am happy to be alive.”
However, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, has advised motorists to avoid the Lagos- Ibadan expressway as a result of the petrol tanker explosion which occurred on the Otedola bridge.
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