ANOTHER TANKER FIRE ACCIDENT:Lagos tanker fire destroys 4 buildings, 40 shops, 25 vehicles...SEE PHOTOS

Firstclass newsline gathered that more than 40 shops, four buildings,
25 vehicles and six tricycles were ravaged by fire on Tuesday in the
Iyana-Ipaja area of Lagos after a fuel-laden tanker marked, KJA 238
XN, skidded off the bridge and was engulfed in flames.
The tanker, carrying 33,000 litres of petrol, was said to have fallen
on a van parked under the bridge, spilling its content which ran
through the drainage channels from Iyana-Ipaja Road to Adebanjo,
Oremeji, Oki and Bakare Jafojo streets.
The driver is still on the run.
Firstclass newsline gathered that property worth millions of naira was
lost to the inferno, which started around 2am on Tuesday, just as two
similar occurrences were averted at the Badagry area of the state
after two other tankers fell.
It will be recalled that about 85 lives were lost on Sunday to a fire
disaster sparked off by a derailed fuel tanker in Onitsha, Anambra
State.
The Tuesday fire reportedly broke out after an electric surge from a
high tension on Bakare Jafojo Street. The petrol in the drain caught
fire and raged back to Iyana Ipaja Road where the spillage started.
Firstclass newsline learnt that about 14 persons were injured while
scampering to safety. Some miscreants were also said to have cashed in
on the incident to loot shops.
It was learnt that the Lagos State Fire Service responded with a
50,000 litres of water to put out the fire around 4am. No life was
lost.
As of 1pm when firstclass newsline crew left the area, a combined team
of Lagos State Fire Service, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency,
the Nigerian Police Force, Federal Road Safety Corps and the Nigeria
Security and Civil Defence Corps were on ground.
Sympathisers besieged the area as shop owners counted their losses.
Officials of LASEMA were also seen spraying foams on the spilled
content to make it less potent.
A trader, Bintu Ariyo, who sells food and drinks, told firstclass
newsline that all the valuables in her shops were consumed by the
fire.
She said, "I sell rice and sachet water. My refrigerator and every
other things are gone. I am doomed."
Izuchukwu Eze, a dealer in electronics, estimated the goods he lost to
the fire at about N4m.
He said, "I live in the neighbourhood. I was woken up by shouts of
fire around 2am. When I came out, I saw that my shop was also on fire.
I was helpless because I couldn't go near the fire. I sell electrical
equipment; everything in the shop was destroyed. The goods were worth
over N4m."
A phone dealer, Uchenna Young, lamented his loss. He added that he
stocked his shop on Monday.
"I tried to save some of my property, but the heat and the smoke were
too much. That shop was the only source of livelihood I had."
A pharmacist, Emmanuel Aguh, said he was devastated, adding that only
God could redeem the loss done to him by the incident.
He said, "The drugs inside that shop were more than N300,000. I don't
know where to start again. Unfortunately, some people saw the incident
as an opportunity to steal."
A resident, Jamiu Okanlawon, said his Toyota Camry and two cars of his
neighbours got burnt.
"Twenty two other cars were burnt and no fewer than 40 shops were
engulfed in flames. Six tricycles also got burnt," he added.
A woman, Jemilat Lawal, whose house was razed, said, "My husband,
children and I escaped through the window. Our property was destroyed.
We could not pick anything. The only property we have now are the
clothes we are putting on."
A resident, who identified himself only as Femi, said he narrowly
escaped death while he was trying to salvage some of his documents.
He said, "The incident was like a nightmare. A wire sparked around
1.30am when electricity was restored and a flash dropped inside the
drainage channel where the fuel had spilled. My wife woke me up that
there was fire everywhere. I took my two kids together with my wife
and we escaped through the fence. "
Kazeem Oladunjoye, who lives on Bakare Jafojo Street, said a man was
trapped in the conflagration when he attempted to drive his car to
safety. He said a bus recently bought for commercial purpose was
gutted.
He said, "The fire traced the path of the petrol up to the source
where the tanker fell off the bridge; before we realised what was
happening, all the vehicles parked by the roadside were engulfed in
flames. One of the neighbours, who tried to drive away his commercial
bus, was injured in the process. The bus eventually got burnt. I had
only bought my bus three months ago; I wanted to use it for commercial
purpose."
The Director of the Lagos Fire Service, Mr. Rasaq Fadipe, said his men
responded promptly to douse the flames, adding that the agency also
prevented two similar occurrences in the state on Tuesday.
He said "The fire caused a lot of havoc. We engaged in active
firefighting operation as soon as we arrived and with the help of the
public, we were able to douse the fire.
"However, we discovered that 21 vehicles had been consumed by the
fire, six tricycles were also consumed, 17 shops were affected, while
electric poles and wires in the affected area were also burnt. No life
was lost, but about 14 people sustained injuries while trying to
salvage their property. The affected people have been treated by
LASAMBUS and discharged.
"There was another tanker that fell on its side at Ilaje Bus Stop on
the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. It was conveying 33,000 litres of diesel
to Badagry. But we were able to manage it and it did not result in
fire though there was a significant spillage on the road.
"Another one happened close to the tollgate at Magbon bus stop on the
Lagos-Badagry Expressway. The tanker was contesting the narrow road
with a tipper when it fell on its side. It was also conveying 33,000
litres Kerosene. We managed it well and it did not result in fire.
"Tanker drivers that want to drive at night must rest during the day
so that there would not be fatigue to handle the trucks at night. We
urge the drivers to be very careful."
Tthe Head of Operation, LASEMA, Femi Giwa, said, "The fire engulfed
about 30 shops, five houses, 23 vehicles, and six tricycles. We had 14
casualties who suffered minor injuries. They have been treated and
discharged."
Drivers' indiscipline responsible for frequent tanker fire─ Ambode
The Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has blamed frequent tanker
explosions in the state, which usually lead to fire and loss of lives
and property, on the carelessness and indiscipline of drivers.
The governor said this on Tuesday when he visited the scene of the
fire in Iyana-Ipaja.
He said, "Around 1am, a tanker loaded with 33,000 litres of petrol
fell from the Ipaja Bridge and spilled its content covering almost
five streets here.
"In the last four hours, all our emergency agencies have been
effectively on the ground and we have been able to manage and control
consequences of what 33,000 litres of petrol would have done to this
neighbourhood.
"Thank God, there has not been any loss of lives, but again, there are
victims whose shops were destroyed.
"As of the last count, the agencies have been able to report that
everything has been put under control. We have also recorded two other
incidences, just like this one in other parts of Lagos; one in Badagry
and the other one in the Ojo area.
"It would also mean that our tanker drivers have to start doing
something about their operations. We cannot continue to record loss of
lives and property because our tanker drivers are not discipline."
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Kayode Aderanti, said, "The tanker fell
off the Ipaja bridge. We did not have any fatality, but we had some
casualties. The police will investigate the remote and immediate
causes of this incident.
Firstclassnewsline.net