A petroleum tanker truck loaded with 33,000 litres Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, gut fire in Ipaja area of Lagos State Monday morning. The tanker truck was half burnt while a car was totally burnt in the fire.
It was gathered that the tanker was conveying stolen petroleum product from a vandalized pipeline. The explosion was said to have happened around 8 am when the tanker came in contact with an electric pole around Abesan Estate gate in Ipaja area of Lagos State, resulting into the fire outbreak.
There was traffic gridlock in the area and motorists had to use alternative routes.
Respondents including the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the Lagos State Fire Service were at the scene. There was no loss of life or casualty.
LASEMA Public Affairs Officer, Nosa Okunbor, said the Agency’s Dolphin Squad at Lagos West was activated to the scene of the fire around 8:18 am.
He said the incident was a pipeline vandalism which occurred at the back of Honeyland School, Abesan Estate, Ipaja.
“At the incident scene, we gathered that a tanker conveying stolen petroleum product from a vandalized pipeline came in contact with an electric pole which resulted in a fire outbreak. No casualties or fatalities were incurred, nor were any injuries recorded as residents of the area rallied support to control the fire before arrival of the combined response team of LASEMA and the Lagos State Fire Services.
“On arrival, the cooperative residents readily gave way for the combined response team of LASEMA and LASG Fire Service to perform their duties. After putting out the fire, we commenced blanketing process of the entire area and post-disaster assessment. We also contacted men of the NSCDC as well as officials of NNPC/PPMC for the transloading/recovery of the remaining PMS in Tanker Truck of the vandals,” he said.