45,000 Litres Fuel Tanker Overturns on Ijako Road, Traffic Disrupted
By ILYAS OPEYEMI
A fuel tanker conveying 45,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, overturned on Ijako Road, inward Oke Oso, along the Ajah Expressway in Epe, Lagos State, on Friday, causing traffic disruption and triggering an emergency response.
The incident occurred while the Mack tanker was reportedly ascending Ijako Hill when a mechanical failure caused the vehicle to lose momentum and overturn.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, said it received a distress alert at 11:32am and immediately dispatched its Whales Team from the Epe Base to the scene. The team arrived 4 minutes after receiving the alert.
According to a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Olufemi Oke Osanyintolu, preliminary findings showed that the tanker’s propeller detached from its joint, causing the vehicle to lose momentum before falling on its side.
One of the tanker’s compartments was also found to be leaking, prompting emergency responders to begin immediate containment measures to prevent a possible fire outbreak and environmental hazard.
“There were no reported fatalities or injuries. Prior to LASEMA’s arrival, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Oke Oso Station, had commenced containment measures to prevent fire outbreak and environmental hazard,” the statement said.
The emergency operation was coordinated under the Incident Command System, with personnel from LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps and representatives of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers at the scene.
LASEMA said the joint response was aimed at containing the leaking petroleum product, managing traffic and protecting motorists and other road users from further danger.
The agency said traffic was being managed to prevent secondary incidents while efforts were being made to safely transfer the fuel from the overturned tanker.
“An empty tanker has been mobilized for the safe transloading of the product, after which recovery of the fallen truck will commence,” LASEMA said.
The agency explained that the fuel would first be transferred to the empty tanker before the overturned truck could be safely recovered.
Oke Osanyintolu commended the emergency responders for their swift intervention and professional handling of the incident.
He reiterated the commitment of the Lagos State Government to protecting lives and property through proactive disaster risk reduction measures and adherence to global best practices in emergency management.
