By Peter Omopo
A petrol tanker accident along Ekoro Road in Abule Egba, Lagos, has claimed the life of an adult female bystander and left a 15-year-old girl injured.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed that distress calls were received via its 767 and 112 toll-free emergency lines at about 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, prompting the activation of the state’s emergency response plan from its Igando base.
Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said responders arrived at the scene around 8:04 p.m. and found a tanker loaded with approximately 15,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit involved in a lone accident.
“Preliminary findings indicate the tanker suffered a mechanical fault, lost control, ran over a bystander, and crashed into a roadside shop. The driver was not found at the scene,” he said.
According to him, the adult female victim died at the scene, while the teenage girl was trapped in the wreckage. She was rescued and handed over to the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) for medical attention before being transferred to a hospital.
The body of the deceased was recovered and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further processing.
Oke-Osanyintolu added that traffic control measures were immediately implemented to prevent secondary incidents. The tanker and the affected building sustained significant damage.
Other agencies at the scene included the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
Authorities said investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing.
