At least two people have lost their lives in a devastating gas tanker explosion along the Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos.
The victims were reportedly burnt beyond recognition following the incident, which occurred in the early hours of the day.
Confirming the development, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, through its Controller General, Margaret Adeseye, disclosed that the explosion happened around 2:36 a.m., leading to significant property damage estimated at thousands of naira.
Preliminary findings revealed that a speeding 20-tonne tipper truck approaching from the Epe axis crashed into a stationary 30-tonne gas truck that had failed to properly pull off the highway. The collision triggered a massive fire outbreak.
Firefighters from Lekki Phase II, Oniru, and Epe II stations were immediately deployed to the scene to contain the inferno.
The fire quickly spread to three nearby warehouses and about ten roadside shops, including a gym and a generator house, before emergency responders succeeded in bringing it under control.
A nearby Total petrol filling station, which had a 33,000-litre PMS tanker, was narrowly saved from the blaze, preventing what could have been a far more catastrophic situation.
Emergency officials also recovered several vehicles from the affected area, including three Sienna buses, a Toyota Corolla, and a forklift.
The driver of the tipper truck and his assistant were both killed in the incident, while the driver of the gas tanker reportedly escaped without injury.
Authorities have since commenced the evacuation of the wreckage from the road, with normal traffic gradually resuming in the area.
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