Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Tanker explosion claims 10 lives

Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Tanker explosion claims 10 lives

About 10 people were burnt to death in a tanker explosion at Araromi on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Thursday morning.

Mr Ahmed Umar, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ogun, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Abeokuta.

Umar said that the accident occurred around Conoil in Araromi before Sagamu Interchange on the expressway.

According to him, five vehicles were burnt in the raging inferno caused by the explosion.

He said that victims of the accidents were burnt beyond recognition.

According to him, the vehicles involved in the accident are: a Mack truck marked AKL 198 ZT; an Iveco truck with no registration number; a Mazda bus marked FFE 361 XB, an unmarked Howo truck and the Mack tanker.

He attributed the cause of the explosion to speeding by driver of the Iveco truck.

“Driver of the Iveco truck, who was travelling on top speed lost control and rammed into the tanker, which resulted to fire outbreak due to leakage,”

He added that the Mazda bus was engulfed by the fire, saying that all those that died were in the bus.

“The suspected cause of the multiple crash was excessive speed which led to loss of control on the part of the Iveco truck and smashed the tanker body which resulted to fire outbreak due to leakage.

“The Mazda bus got engulfed in the spark of the fire,” Umar said.

He added that the deceased were taken to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu.

Umar, after visiting scene of the accident, commiserated with families of the victims.

He advised motorists to drive cautiously, obey traffic rules and regulations, and as well consider other road users while driving.