FRSC blames speeding for Otedola Bridge tanker fire

The Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos Sector Command, has attributed a tanker crash and subsequent fire under the Otedola Bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to speeding.

DAILY POST recalls that the lone crash, involving a diesel-laden tanker, occurred on the outward section of the expressway at about 4:10 pm on Monday.

A statement issued by the Sector Public Education Officer, FRSC Lagos Sector Command, Elizabeth Jayeola, said the tanker plunged into the underpass beneath Otedola Bridge, triggering a fire, adding that the FRSC rescue unit arrived at the scene at 4:20 pm, five minutes after the incident was reported at 4:15 pm.

“A lone crash involving a diesel-laden tanker on the outward section of the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway plunged the tanker into the underpass beneath Otedola Bridge, triggering a raging inferno today, at approximately 4:10 p.m.

“The incident underscores the potentially catastrophic consequences of excessive speed, particularly among operators of heavy-duty vehicles transporting petroleum products,” the statement said.

It said preliminary findings identified speeding as the reported cause of the incident, which involved a single tanker.

It said two adult male occupants sustained injuries and were taken to the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre for medical attention, while no fatalities were recorded in the initial crash report.

“FRSC personnel worked alongside operatives of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Police and other emergency responders in coordinated efforts to contain the blaze, manage traffic and reduce the risk of further harm to road users and surrounding infrastructure,” it said.

The FRSC Lagos Sector Commander, Corps Commander Kehinde Hamzat, while reacting to the accident, said speeding remained a serious threat to road users’ safety, particularly when heavy-duty vehicles are involved.

The sector commander further advised motorists approaching emergency scenes to reduce speed, maintain a safe distance, obey traffic control instructions and avoid obstructing rescue personnel. Members of the public are also cautioned against gathering near burning tankers or attempting to approach the scene to take photographs or videos.