Two injured as tanker plunges off Otedola Bridge, bursts into flames

Two men sustained severe burn injuries after a diesel-laden tanker carrying about 45,000 litres of fuel fell off Otedola Bridge and burst into flames in Lagos on Monday.
The victims were rescued by emergency responders and given pre-hospital treatment before being taken to the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre at Toll Gate for further medical attention.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed the incident in a statement, saying preliminary reports indicated that the tanker plunged from the bridge before catching fire.
According to him, LASEMA’s Lagos Response Unit and an ambulance team from the Federal Road Safety Corps provided initial medical care to the two men, who were subsequently transported by the Lagos State Ambulance Service.
Personnel of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the NNPC Fire Service were among the first responders deployed to tackle the blaze.
LASEMA later activated its emergency response, cordoned off the affected area and conducted a risk assessment to support rescue and firefighting operations.
The agency said the fire had been brought under control, while dampening operations continued to prevent it from reigniting.
Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency and the police also participated in the emergency response.
LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, commended the responders for their prompt intervention and urged operators of heavy-duty vehicles to carry out regular mechanical inspections and comply with road safety regulations.
The cause of the crash had yet to be established, as investigations were ongoing.
LASEMA advised motorists to avoid the affected corridor and use alternative routes while emergency personnel completed their operations.