A fuel-laden tanker explosion along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway claimed the lives of 10 persons on Thursday morning.
The explosion occurred around 1am today around Araromi town, after Conoil filling station towards Sagamu Interchange on the outward Lagos section of the expressway.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander in Ogun State, Ahmed Umar, told Channels Television that two fuel-laden tankers, two trucks, and one bus were involved in the explosion.
Umar said three of the vehicles were burnt in the inferno.
He also said while 12 persons were involved in the inferno, 10 persons were burnt to death while two occupants of the vehicles escaped.
The FRSC official added there is a possibility of discovering more casualties as recovery efforts is ongoing.
First responders including firefighters were seen at the scene as of the time of filing this reports.
Umar said the burnt persons where taken to Olabisi Onabanjo Teaching Hospital in Sagamu while some of the burnt vehicles were towed off the road leaving the two tankers for the fuel content to be transloaded.
He said while the cause of the incident remained unknown, eyewitnesses attributed it to over speeding by one trucks who lost control to smash the body of the tanker.
Umar said: “The rescue operation is still on and people involved yet to be confirmed because a bus is also involved.
“The crash scene cordoned to avoid secondary crash as traffic has been diverted.
“Men of Fire Service have arrived at the scene and effort is being made to put out the fire. Traffic has been temporarily diverted at Lufuwape U-turn to ease the traffic situation.
“The sector commander advised motorists to remain calm and cooperate with traffic managers controlling the situation.”
