Authorities at the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have announced that inquiries are underway to ascertain what triggered the fuel tanker crash, which subsequently caused a fierce fire beneath the Otedola Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Monday.
The Head of Operations of the FRSC in Lagos State, Deputy Corps Commander, Emma Fekoya, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with TVC News, saying investigators were considering several possible factors behind the incident.
Fekoya said the tanker, which was conveying diesel, lost control, struck a curb and fell beneath the bridge, with the impact triggering the fire.
She said the exact circumstances surrounding the crash had yet to be established.
“There are many reasons, that’s why we say we can’t state it completely,” Fekoya said when asked about the preliminary findings.
“It could be fatigue, it could be maybe somebody cut across his front. Many reasons, so we can’t pin it to one, so it’s under investigation,” She added.
The FRSC official explained that investigators would need to speak with the driver to establish what happened, but said his medical condition had delayed the process.
“And the person to help us is right in the hospital, so until when he’s stabilised, then we can ask those questions,” she said.
On casualties, Fekoya said there were no confirmed deaths, while explaining that the victims were initially taken to a hospital that could not attend to them before being referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
She said the victims were at the facility, where medical personnel were attending to them.
TVC News had earlier reported that the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said the tanker fire under the Otedola Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has been extinguished, with traffic flow restored along the corridor.
What You Should Know
A diesel-laden tanker lost control, struck a road divider, and crashed under the Otedola Bridge, igniting a sudden fire that caused significant concern for commuters along the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Although the flames have been successfully put out and normal traffic has resumed, safety authorities are still working to piece together the exact sequence of events.
- Positive Impact: Swift emergency response efforts successfully extinguished the fire, cleared the wreckage, and fully restored normal traffic flow along the vital transport corridor without any recorded fatalities.
- Potential Concerns: The incident highlights ongoing risks associated with articulated vehicle safety on major Nigerian highways, with investigators noting that driver fatigue or sudden obstructions could be contributing factors.
