Dare Babalola
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has prevented a potential midnight inferno following the overturning of a fully laden Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) tanker at Awoyaya, along the inward carriageway of the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
The incident occurred at approximately 2:00 a.m., involving a lone articulated tanker conveying a significant volume of PMS that reportedly lost vehicular equilibrium and upturned while navigating the inward-bound corridor of the high-traffic Lekki-Epe Expressway.
According to the press release issued by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq, the volatile and highly combustible nature of the cargo posed an imminent and grave danger to human lives, public and private property, as well as the immediate environment.
LASTMA’s Rescue and Recovery Unit was expeditiously deployed to the scene, where operatives promptly demarcated a secure safety perimeter, enforced comprehensive traffic control measures, and initiated preparatory recovery procedures.
“The swift and coordinated intervention effectively curtailed the activities of fuel scoopers, prevented secondary collisions, and decisively forestalled what could have degenerated into a catastrophic fire disaster,” the release stated.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service was promptly mobilised to the location and immediately activated stringent fire prevention and containment protocols, including sustained surveillance to eliminate any risk of ignition or escalation.
A transloading operation into another empty 33,000-litre tanker was meticulously executed under stringent supervision and exhaustive scrutiny by emergency response personnel.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa, commended the seamless inter-agency collaboration at the accident scene, lauding the prompt and professional response of LASTMA operatives and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.
“No casualty was recorded, and emergency responders temporarily suspended vehicular movement within the affected axis before cautiously restoring traffic flow, thereby ensuring public safety and averting a potentially calamitous outcome,” said Adebayo Taofiq, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA.
The Agency has advised tanker and articulated vehicle operators to exercise the highest degree of caution, ensure rigorous vehicular maintenance, and adhere strictly to prescribed safety regulations, particularly during nocturnal operations.
