At least 40 persons sustained injuries, while one person lost his life in separate tanker-related explosions recorded in Lagos and Cross River states on Saturday.
The Lagos incident occurred in the early hours along the Lekki–Epe Expressway near Ologuro Bus Stop in the Sangotedo area, following a collision involving a tipper truck and a gas tanker.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency said the crash led to a fire outbreak that caused extensive damage in the area.
The agency’s Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed that the driver of the tipper truck died on the spot, while two women suffered injuries.
According to him, preliminary findings indicated that the accident resulted from excessive speed and loss of control, which culminated in the collision and subsequent fire.
He added that several roadside shops were consumed by the flames before emergency responders arrived.
Firefighters from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, alongside other emergency officials, were able to contain the blaze and prevent further destruction.
Also speaking, the Federal Road Safety Corps, through its spokesperson, Elizabeth Jayeola, said the accident involved a Sinotruck tipper and a Mack trailer.
She noted that four adult males were involved, with one fatality, one injured and two escaping unharmed.
Jayeola attributed the crash to speeding, which led to loss of control and eventual impact, triggering a fire that left the driver burnt beyond recognition, while his assistant sustained injuries.
The Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, disclosed that the fire extended to nearby facilities, affecting three warehouses and about 10 shops, including a gym and a generator house.
She added that vehicles parked within the vicinity, including cars and buses, were also destroyed before the situation was brought under control.
In a similar incident in Calabar, Cross River State, no fewer than 38 persons sustained varying degrees of burns following a gas explosion at a filling station.
The explosion reportedly occurred during the transfer of gas from a storage tank to a service tank when a hose disconnected, leading to gas leakage and eventual ignition.
An eyewitness, Ekanem Essien, described the scene as chaotic, saying the blast caused panic as residents rushed to safety.
He noted that he quickly evacuated his child and secured important belongings amid the confusion.
Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Sunday Eitokpah, said the leakage rapidly escalated into a fire, leaving many residents injured.
He added that those with severe burns were taken to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital for treatment.
Despite the magnitude of the incident, authorities confirmed that no fatality was recorded in the Calabar explosion, while victims continue to receive medical care.
