A gas tanker exploded at Ijora Pallete Junction beside Lagos State Homes Estate at Ijora Badiya, on Thursday in Lagos State.
The explosion occurred at 1.30 p.m. An eyewitness said the tanker was leaking and some passers-by drew the driver’s attention to the leakage.
The eyewitness said that the driver consequently attempted to use a fire extinguisher on the tanker before it exploded.
Firefighters and a team from Ijora Badiya Police Division were on the ground to secure lives and property.
They eventually put out the fire.
No life was lost in the accident.
The police have diverted traffic from the road to prevent traffic congestion and prevent hoodlums from attacking innocent citizens.
According to a police officer, who pleaded anonymity, the police responded swiftly to the emergency and contacted the fire service which also responded fast.
Acting Zonal Coordinator, South-West Zonal Office, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye, also confirmed the development in a statement in Lagos.
Farinloye said the tanker was loaded with 20,000 metric tonnes of Liquefied Natural Gas.
“It was revealed that the driver was trying to negotiate a safe corridor to park and take care of the leakage but, along the line, the explosion occurred near some makeshift shops by the roadside,” Farinloye said.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.