A tanker laden with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS or petrol) has exploded at Ilo-Awela Junction, at Toll Gate area on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, killing two persons.
Three persons were also injured in the accident in which 12 vehicles were burnt, on Thursday.
The vehicles comprising three luxurious buses, four tricycles, three motorcycles and a yellow bus, were burnt beyond repairs in the inferno.
Confirming the incident, the Ogun State Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC), Mr Ahmed Umar, said the incident occured early 1.30a.m. on Thursday.
According to Umar, the tanker laden with PMS was ascending from Ilo-Awela to Toll-Gate area, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, when it lost control due to mechanical fault, fell in the process and went into flame.
Umar added that the corpses of the victims had been deposited at State Hospital, Ota, while the survivors, including two males and a female, are receiving treatment at the same hospital.
According to him, the personnel of Fire Service were contacted immediately and the area had been cordoned off to prevent any further incident.
Umar stated that the FRSC officers and other sister security agencies were available to control traffic, and to ease free flow of vehicular movement within the area.
He cautioned tanker owners and drivers to install safety valves and ensure that their vehicles are in condition before putting them on the road to avert unnecessary mishaps.
The Public Education Officer of FRSC, Ogun sector command, Florence Okpe, also confirmed the early statement of Umar, adding that the tanker was ascending the Ilo-Awela slope, adjoining the Abeokuta-Lagos section of the expressway, when it fell at about 1:30a.m., spilled its content and went up in flames.
She said five persons were involved in the accident, while three were seriously injured and two killed.
According to her, the cause of the accident was mechanical fault, stating, “while the tanker was ascending the vehicle rolled back and got hooked. The content spilled off and there was fire outbreak.”
“Men of the fire service were contacted immediately and the area was cordoned off to prevent a secondary crash,” Okpe said.