Many persons were stranded when some tankers exploded at the Kara axis of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Sunday morning.
Although the incident happened after midnight, a lot of vehicles were on the bridge as a result of the curfew imposed to check the spread of coronavirus.
The federal government had ordered a nationwide curfew from 10pm to 4am and vehicles which are unable to make it to Lagos or leave the nation’s commercial capital before 10pm are usually stranded on the bridge till 4am when security operatives open the road to traffic.
Details of Sunday’s incident were initially sketchy but a witness said the fire started after a loud bang.
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In a statement, Olufemi Oke-Osayintolu, director-general of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), said no live was lost in the incident.
He said an articulated truck laden with 33,000litres of premium motor spirit crashed into another articulated truck while driving inward the Lagos Ibadan expressway, resulting in the inferno.
Firefighters had arrived the scene of the incident at 2am.
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The Federal Fire Service later pleaded with motorists to avoid the area.
“Kara Bridge Fire, men of the Federal Fire Service are already at the scene. Please vehicular movements should be halted around the area,” the tweet read.
UPDATE: Kara Bridge Fire, men of the Federal Fire Service are already at the scene. Please vehicular movements should be halted around the area.
— Federal Fire Service (@Fedfireng) June 21, 2020
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Some Twitter users also commented about the incident.
https://twitter.com/iamSalamiJr/status/1274503305230782465?s=20
This fire is apparently at Kara Bridge, Berger. https://t.co/sITJASEme8
Advertisement— sango 💫 (@NnmaMoore) June 21, 2020
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Massive fire following explosions around Berger / Kara Bridge border area of Lagos and Ogun States. Flames visible all the way from Magodo. I can catch confirm that the Lagos fire service is responding. However that fire looks menacing. I pray that loss of life will be minimized. pic.twitter.com/A8uopgXb0q
— TVTosin (@TosinOdunfa) June 21, 2020
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Kara bridge by Berger on fire! pic.twitter.com/IT7h502mzz
Advertisement— Ms.incredible…. (@bel4lif) June 20, 2020
Explosion at this time, no time is good but midnight 🙆♂️ kara bridge on fire, cars are burning 😭
— Mosvin Bami (@mosvinbami) June 21, 2020
Huge! Fire outbreak on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway at the bridge just before Kara Market. From observation, it seem to be tanker that exploded.#LagosIbadanexpressway pic.twitter.com/tBbcb1MEJa
— Gimba Zakka (@GimbaZakka) June 21, 2020
https://twitter.com/olatunde_wealth/status/1274496344422522880?s=20
This is not the first time of such incident on the bridge. In February, many people were stranded when a petrol tanker went up in flames.
It took several hours before firefighters contained the outbreak.
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