A yet-to-be-identified truck driver on Saturday night narrowly avoided death after a Mack truck laden with an empty 20-foot container was razed by fire near the Alausa Secretariat, inward Otedola Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The latest incident comes in the wake of a recent fatal explosion along the Lekki-Epe corridor, where a crash involving a trailer and a gas truck claimed the lives of two persons.
Emergency personnel, including operatives of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, responded swiftly to the distress call and successfully put out the flames.
Eyewitnesses said the vehicle caught fire while in motion, prompting the driver to quickly stop by the roadside. He was said to have escaped with minor injuries.
Authorities noted that the prompt intervention of the responders prevented the situation from degenerating into a major disaster.
Traffic along the busy route was also restored shortly after the incident.
In his reaction, the General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, reaffirmed the agency’s resolve to ensure the safety of road users and the protection of property across the state.
He urged motorists to regularly inspect their vehicles, particularly their mechanical and electrical components, noting that proper maintenance is essential in preventing such occurrences.
Bakare-Oki added that the agency remains committed to sustaining a safe and efficient traffic management system across Lagos roads.
