Top: Sympathisers looking at the car where a couple and their daughter were trapped. (bottom).m
Less than 24 hours after eight people were burnt to death in a Lagos road accident, another 10 died on Thursday when a tanker carrying Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, and seven other vehicles caught fire at the Alakija, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area, end of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. The tanker had run into a ditch at Alakija bus stop before it caught fire.
In Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, a tanker discharging petrol at a filling station near Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library caught fire on Thursday.
However, the fire did not affect the library and a nearby Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation mega filling station.
In Lagos, it was gathered that the tanker, with registration number XZ 777 JJJ, was transporting petrol to a filling station in Badagry, when it ran into a ditch near the bus stop.
PUNCH METRO gathered that the tanker lost its balance and spilled its content onto the road and went up in flames around 5.45am. The tanker and the seven vehicles that were driving behind it and in front of it were burnt beyond repair.
Eyewitnesses told our correspondents that no fewer than 10 people in the affected vehicles died, while those who were badly burnt were taken to different hospitals.
Among those who died in the inferno were a man, his pregnant wife and their baby. They were trapped in their Peugeot 505.
An eyewitness, Mr. Peter Okere, said, “It happened about 6am. A fuel tanker was coming from the Mile 2 side. Suddenly, it fell into a pothole and the fuel in the tanker started to spill. The driver quickly jumped out of the vehicle. Other vehicles that were coming on top speed collided with the stationary tanker and they caught fire and that was how other vehicles were involved.
“About 10 people died. Some ran into a swamp. Even a vehicle carrying rams to Seme was completely burnt and all the rams were killed in the inferno. Also, a family comprising the husband, his pregnant wife and their kid-daughter were roasted.”
An official of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, who craved anonymity, told one of our correspondents that some people jumped into a nearby swamp to avoid being burnt.
“We were able to retrieve three pair of shoes from the canal; but as for those who owned the shoes, we are yet to locate them. We will keep looking for them,” he said.
Spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Frank Mba, said policemen and firefighters, who brought three firefighting trucks assisted in putting out the fire
He said, “Policemen from Festac and Satellite divisions, led by their respective DPOs were on the ground to provide security, clear obstruction and render other humanitarian services
“Seven vehicles were burnt; five people also died, they were burnt beyond recognition; eight people suffered burns of various degrees and were taken to different hospitals. Investigation into the incident has since commenced.
“Once again, road users are advised to exercise restraint and obey all traffic rules and regulations while on the highway.”
But the General Manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Femi Oke-Osayintolu, said over 10 people died in the inferno.
Also, the state Director of Fire and Safety Service, Mr. Aderemi Ajose, said the unit got an emergency call around 6.13am informing them of the incident, adding that firefighters got to scene around 6.24am and were able to put it out.
Osayintolu said over 10 people were confirmed dead, while five vehicles were completely burnt.
He said most of the victims, who scampered for safety sustained severe injuries and had been treated by the officials of the state emergency agency and Red Cross.
He also added that other victims were rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, and the state General Hospital in Alimosho Local Government.
The Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission, Lagos, Mr. Jonas Agwu, said three buses, two cars and a tanker were burnt into ashes in the inferno.
He added, “Five people were confirmed dead and taken to General Hospital, Isolo. Nineteen others, who were injured were taken to General Hospital at Badagry Expressway by a combined team of FRSC, LASTMA and other people. The cause of the accident was that the head of a tanker suddenly pulled off and went into flames and burnt other vehicles.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the Abeokuta incident, which occurred on Thursday, involved Fatgbems Petrol Station on M.K.O. Abiola Way, Abeokuta.
A Stock Officer with the filling station, Mr. Nurudeen Bello, told NAN that the fire started around 6.40am, when an Opel car that had just refilled its tank caught fire as the driver wanted to start the engine.
Bello said a 30,000-litre tanker with registration number LAGOS: XT 528 SMK, was discharging its content when the fire started.
“Before we knew what was happening, the tanker, marked ‘Fatgbems Petroleum’, had caught fire,’’ he said, adding that a motor boy, Rasheed Babatunde, quickly ran into the tanker and moved it out of the station, which is directly opposite the NNPC mega station.
Another Opel car with registration number Lagos: EP 619 APP parked close to the station was, however, razed.
Also, a dispensing pump at Fatgbems filling station and the signboard of the NNPC mega station were burnt.
Meanwhile, family members and friends of people suspected to be victims of Wednesday’s Lagos road accident, in which eight people died, besieged the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, on Thursday to verify whether their loved ones were among the victims.
The accident occurred around 5pm on Wednesday at MKO Garden end of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway when an 18-seater passengers’ Mazda bus with registration number XW 812 APP developed a mechanical fault, while in motion, somersaulted and burst into flames.
The vehicle was said to be heading for Ijebu Ode in Ogun State from Mile 2, Lagos, when the accident occurred.
When PUNCH METRO visited LASUTH on Thursday, people were seen at the Surgical Unit of the hospital.
Many of them declined to speak to our correspondents, claiming that they were overwhelmed with anxiety and grief.
However, one of them, Mr. Balogun Alabi, said he came to the hospital around 9am to know whether his brother, who left for Ijebu-Ode, from Mile 2 on Wednesday, was among the survivors. He said it was difficult to enter where the survivors were being treated.
Another visitor, Alhaja Sikirat Adeola, said she became apprehensive when she could not find her son among the survivors after she was allowed to enter the Surgical Unit.
An official of the hospital, who pleaded not to be named because he was not authorised to talk to journalists, said they were very careful in allowing visitors to see the patients for security reasons and to reduce distraction to the health workers and inconvenience to the patients.
When our correspondents sought the view of the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Dr. Femi Olugbile, he refused to grant them audience. Also, the hospital’s Public Relations Officer, declined comment on the state of the survivors.
However, our correspondents, who later saw some of the survivors at the Surgical Emergency Unit, reported that there were six of them at the unit.
Agwu, said 14 people died, while only four were rescued in the accident that occurred on Wednesday.
He added that the occupants of the vehicles could not escape because of the iron bars on its windows.
Agwu said, “Because of that, we are going to have a joint enforcement that will have leadership of National Union of Road Transport Workers working with us. Now that we are in December it has become more needful for us to clamp down on such vehicles before they start their multiple trips so as to reduce casualties. The enforcement starts on Wednesday.”
Source:http://www.punchng.com/
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