A major disaster was averted in Lagos after a truck carrying 33,000 litres of ethanol overturned on the Second Rainbow Bridge in the Amuwo Odofin area, with no casualties reported.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency disclosed the incident in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu.
According to the agency, the truck, a FOTON vehicle with registration number APP 346 YC, fell while its driver was negotiating a turn on the bridge.
Oke-Osanyintolu said preliminary investigations linked the incident to speeding, which reportedly caused the truck’s turntable to detach and fall onto the roundabout, obstructing the entire stretch.
He said emergency responders quickly secured the area because of the danger posed by the highly flammable substance.
“Recognising the highly volatile nature of ethanol and the imminent risk of fire and explosion, the Eagle Response Team, in collaboration with other responders, immediately cordoned off the area and activated crowd and traffic control measures,” he stated.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the Federal Fire Service applied chemical foam to the truck and surrounding area to suppress fumes and reduce the risk of a secondary incident.
Personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority also assisted in securing the scene and controlling traffic.
Oke-Osanyintolu said the coordinated response prevented a potentially serious incident.
“Through coordinated and tactical efforts, a major disaster was averted, and no loss of life or casualty was recorded,” he said.
In a separate incident, LASEMA’s Tiger Response Team from C3 restored traffic movement at Oke Koto, Agege, after a Dangote cement truck climbed a road divider and became stuck.
The agency attributed the incident to reckless driving, noting that the stranded vehicle obstructed traffic and required an emergency response.
LASEMA, working alongside LASTMA, deployed its heavy-duty recovery equipment, known as Super Metro, to remove the truck. The vehicle was subsequently towed to the LASTMA yard for further action.
The permanent secretary confirmed that the road had been reopened to traffic and that no deaths or injuries were recorded.
He commended the emergency responders for their prompt intervention and urged motorists to obey speed limits and traffic regulations, particularly when transporting heavy loads and hazardous materials.
Oke-Osanyintolu also encouraged residents to report emergencies through LASEMA’s toll-free numbers, 767 and 112.
The development comes days after the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service rescued two adult men from a fire that engulfed an eight-room bungalow on Onitire Road, Itire, Lagos.
According to an earlier report, one of the men, aged 42, sustained burn injuries while attempting to rescue a 75-year-old wheelchair user from the burning building.
