President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed shock and sorrow over Thursday’s fire incident in Lagos, in which many people were feared dead with several vehicles burnt.
The President said in reaction to the early reports reaching him concerning the incident that he was very sad to learn of the tragic loss of lives, vehicles, property and other valuables in the petrol tanker fire.
Condolences
President Buhari expressed his deepest condolences to the government and people of Lagos on the tragedy.
“Sadly, this seems to be one of the greatest tragedies we have seen in recent times,” the President said.
President Buhari urged the emergency services and law enforcement officials to do their best to limit the losses and damage from the incident, saying that the priority now is to save those people who could still be in danger.
Official figure
Nine persons have been confirmed dead and 54 vehicles burnt in an accident caused by the explosion from a fallen truck, laden with petrol in Lagos.
The statistics were provided by the Corps Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Commander Bisi Kazeem.
The tanker loaded with 33,000 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), crashed at 5:30 pm (Local time) on the Michael Otedola Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
According to Kazeem, “personnel of the FRSC responded 10 minutes after the crash and were joined by those of the police, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority.”
One tanker, five buses, two trucks and 45 cars were burnt.
The cause of the accident was said to be brake failure from the fuel-laden tanker.
– Timothy Choji I VON
