Petrol tanker catches fire on Lekki-Epe expressway

A tanker carrying petroleum products caught fire along the Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos, causing traffic jam as road users sought passage through the Oniru alternative route.

But the fire, which started around 2pm, was eventually quenched by men of the state fire service.

Tuesday’s incident is likely to reignite conversations between the Lagos state government and truck drivers on the movement of articulated vehicles in the state.

In 2012, the state ratified a law prohibiting trailers and articulated vehicles from plying the metropolis between 6am and 9pm, with renewed efforts to enforce it a few months ago after a number of tragic incidents.

Oluseyi Whenu, a permanent secretary in the ministry of transport, later said the petrol tankers and long vehicles used in conveying passengers were allowed to travel at any time.

“Section 2 of the traffic law ‎restricted movement of trailers and articulated vehicles between 6 am and 9 pm, with the exemption of some vehicles in accordance with sections 2 and 38 of the Road Traffic Law 2012,” Whenu said in a statement.

“These exemptions are tour buses or passenger buses, fire service trucks, rescue and recovery trucks, patrol trucks, perishable farm products trucks, refuse collection trucks, cement mixer trucks, tractors and refrigerated trucks. “

The exceptions and inability of the state government to totally restrict these articulated vehicles have been identified by state residents as the major cause of corresponding road accidents.