SAN FRANCISCO, December 05, (THEWILL) – A truck carrying at least 33, 000 litres of petrol early Saturday morning tipped over on Ojuelegba Bridge in Surulere, Lagos, leading to a fire that destroyed houses and several vehicles parked in the area.
Mr. Rasak Fadipe, Director, Lagos State Fire Service, said that the tanker was ascending the Ojuelegba Bridge, but rolled back and spilled fuel on the road.
Fadipe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that some of the spilled fuel went into a nearby canal in the area.
”When we came here at about 5.30a.m, we tried to dispense liquid foam into the manholes and canal to avoid fire outbreak.
”I had gone round to see the area affected by the spill. While going round, I met some men smoking Indian hemp along the canal. I warned them against it, that it may result to fire outbreak.
”They disregarded my advice. It was not long after talking with them that the fire broke out from there.
“If we had not dispensed chemical foams into the canal, the whole of Barracks area in Surulere would have been burnt down.
“So far, no casualties, three persons were taken to hospital as a result of shock, ”Fadipe said.
THEWILL gathered that the fire damaged properties located on Allen, Akintan, Benson and Ajoke Dosumu streets.
A lawmaker at the Lagos State House of Assembly (Surulere Constituency 1) Mr. Desmond Eliot, who was at the scene, lamented the situation.
“The fire was serious to the extent that many patients on admission had to be evacuated from Igbaja Health Centre close to the scene to save their lives,” he said.
In September, a container-laden truck fell off the Ojuelegba Bridge, destroying cars and killing three persons.
