fire outbreak as petrol tanker crashes in Lagos State

At least six vehicles, including a 33,000 litres fuel tanker were on Wednesday morning burnt in a filling station in Lagos State.

Eye witnesses told NAN that the fire started about 6am at the Mobil Filling station, Oba Akran Road, Ikeja while the tanker was trying to enter the station to off load the products.

One of the eye witnesses, a commercial bus driver, who simply identified himself as Kunle told NAN that the fire spread across the busying Oba Akran road and caused traffic gridlock for hours

``The timely intervention of fire servicemen from Alausa stop the fire from spreading to other areas,’’ Kunle said.

Mr Rasak Fadipe, Director, Lagos State Fire Service told NAN that they got an emergency call from members  of the public about 6.20 am that the filling station was on fire.

Fadipe however said  before they received the call, fire fighters  noticed a thick smoke in the sky from the direction of the station  and  he ordered a 10,000 litre water truck to the scene.

``When we got the call informing us that the fire was in a filling station, I then ordered four more trucks of 10,000 litres each of chemical fume. It took us about two hours to put out the fire with other emergency agencies around.

``No life was lost, one person sustained injuries and taken to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja for treatment. The fuel tanker and five other cars were completely burnt.

``Other things burnt include a transformer supplying electricity to the area, electricity pole, cables and the roof of the filling station,’’ Fadipe said.

He added that information  revealed  that the fire incident occurred  when the tanker attempted to maneuver  its way into the station to prevent  crashing into vehicles waiting to buy fuel.

``We learnt the tanker stepped  on an object that lifted it sideways and there was a spillage of the product, resulting to fire explosion. The fire followed the spilled products across the road,’’ he said.

NAN reports that efforts to speak with the station manager prove abortive as no one was willing to talk to the press. (NAN)

MIO/