From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
No fewer than five persons have been confirmed dead after a petrol tanker burst into flames yesterday morning at the Ogere section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Confirming the incident in a statement, the Ogun State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ahmed Umar, said that the accident occurred at about 4:46am, around the Tunji Alegi Filling Station Kwakyama area of Ogere on the expressway.
The sector commander said that the suspected cause of the incident was wrongful overtaking and dangerous driving on the part of the petrol tanker driver who collided with a moving truck and it resulted in a fire outbreak.
He said that the five persons who died were recovered from one of the crashed trucks and were burnt beyond recognition.
He added that the corpses had been deposited at FOS Morgue in Ipara-Remo, Ogun state.
“The FRSC wishes to inform the motoring public of the fire incident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which occurred in the early hours of today, involving a petrol tanker laden with Premium Motors Spirit (PMS), around
the Tunji Alegi Filling Station Kwakyama area of Ogere.
“This development called for caution as the spill has affected some other vehicles parked at the shoulder of the road,“ the FRSC sector commander stated in the statement.
Umar further said that a total of five vehicles were involved in the inferno and urged motorists to cooperate with traffic managers, so as to reduce hours spent in the traffic gridlock.
The sector commander added that the Fire Service in Sagamu, Police Traffic Division Ogere, and Gateway Police Station, Old Tollgate, Ogere, had been contacted.
“Meanwhile, the FRSC operatives at Ogere are on ground to manage the traffic situation, in order to reduce discomfort inflicted by the development.
“The traffic has been diverted to avoid secondary crashes and unnecessary loss of lives and property on the road.
“Motorists are, hereby, enjoined to take alternative routes to avoid spending several hours in the traffic gridlock,” Umar submitted.
