A devastating explosion occurred on Wednesday afternoon at the NASFAT U-Turn axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway following the fall and subsequent ignition of a Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)-laden tanker.
The incident led to a massive fire outbreak, engulfing several nearby vehicles and causing significant traffic congestion on the expressway.
The explosion was confirmed by multiple authorities, including the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ogun State. Both agencies reported that the incident happened on the outbound lane of the expressway heading out of Lagos.
According to the TRACE Public Relations Officer, Mr. Babatunde Akinbiyi, the tanker fell and burst into flames at the NASFAT turning point, severely disrupting vehicular movement in the area. He stated, “A fallen PMS-laden tanker at the NASFAT U-Turn, outbound Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, has exploded.
Traffic is seriously affected. Fire services have been contacted, and motorists coming from Lagos are being diverted through Christ Embassy Camp. TRACE, FRSC, and the police are currently on the ground managing the situation.”
Similarly, the Ogun State Sector Command of the FRSC confirmed the incident and dispatched emergency response teams to the scene.
The Sector’s Education Officer, Mrs. Florence Okpe, stated that rescue efforts were underway, with personnel from the FRSC and the Fire Service present at the site of the explosion. However, she added that as of the time of her report, there were no confirmed casualties.
The blast also resulted in damage to several vehicles that were in close proximity to the overturned tanker, further compounding the chaos on the busy expressway.
Motorists have been advised to seek alternative routes as traffic diversions are in place, and emergency responders continue to work to contain the fire and restore normalcy.