By CHIAZO OGBOLU

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), has confirmed the death of two persons in a tanker explosion along Badagry Expressway.

Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, General Manager, LASTMA, said this in a statement on Thursday in Lagos.

He said the tanker explosion which involved a Mack Truck conveying diesel occurred in the early hours of Thursday at the Oto – Ijanikin axis, in the vicinity of the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), inward Agbara, along the Lagos – Badagry Expressway.

Bakare-Oki said preliminary findings attributed the incident to speed, leading to the tanker driver to lost control of the vehicle while attempting to overtake another road user.

“The vehicle subsequently crashed and erupted into a raging inferno, tragically trapping and claiming the lives of the driver and an adult female occupant,”’ he said.

Bakare-Oki said personnel of the agency, who were actively monitoring and managing vehicular movement within the corridor swiftly secured and cordoned off the affected stretch of the expressway to forestall secondary incidents.

He said the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (Ojo Unit), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Ijanikin Police Division were promptly notified for urgent emergency response and security reinforcement.

“In a further demonstration of vigilance and unwavering commitment to public safety, LASTMA operatives prevented members of the public who had converged on the scene with assorted containers from scooping the spilled diesel.

“This is an extremely hazardous act capable of triggering further explosions and avoidable fatalities.

“This timely intervention effectively averted a potential escalation of the tragedy prior to the arrival of other emergencies and security agencies,” he said.

He said that following the successful containment of the blaze and clearance by relevant authorities, the burnt tanker was evacuated from the expressway by LASTMA personnel while remains of burnt bodies were removed by FRSC.

Bakare-Oki expressed deep sorrow and extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased, particularly poignant during this festive season.

He described the incident as deeply painful and entirely avoidable, reaffirming the authority’s steadfast commitment to road safety and the sanctity of lives.

The manager further underscored the need for tanker and articulated vehicle drivers to exercise caution, observe prescribed speed limits and comply strictly with all traffic regulations.

“Reckless driving and speeding remain dominant factors in fatal road traffic crashes across the metropolis,” he said. (NAN, but headline rejigged)

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