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Oil Tanker Explodes in Lagos, Nigeria, 54 Cars Burn in the Fire

An oil tanker crashed and exploded on the Otedola Bridge on the Ibadan Expressway in Lagos, Nigeria, rush traffic hour. The road is used by commuters coming in from the outskirts.
Oil tanker crashes, causes massive fire on Lagos highway during traffic hour 6 photos
Photo: Rapid Response Squad Lagos
Oil tanker crashes into car, causes massive explosion in Lagos, Nigeria, during traffic hourOil tanker crashes into car, causes massive explosion in Lagos, Nigeria, during traffic hourOil tanker crashes into car, causes massive explosion in Lagos, Nigeria, during traffic hourOil tanker crashes into car, causes massive explosion in Lagos, Nigeria, during traffic hourOil tanker crashes into car, causes massive explosion in Lagos, Nigeria, during traffic hour
At least 9 people have died and over 50 cars were consumed by the flames, with authorities still struggling to contain and appraise the full magnitude of the situation.

Though accidents with oil tankers aren’t that uncommon in the country, this is perhaps the one with the highest death toll. Authorities tell CNN that they believe the number of fatalities will increase within the next hours, as many of those rescued from the scene of the crash may die in hospital.

The accident occurred when the oil tanker crashed into a passenger car and overturned, the publication reports, citing an eyewitness in a nearby bus. However, the crash didn’t start the fire: the oil spilled on the road and it ignited when another bus riding behind the tanker crashed into another passenger car.

The flames engulfed an estimated 54 cars, and the scene was pure chaos. People were getting out of their cars and ran for their lives, the eyewitness reveals.

“In the distance, I could see several vehicles trying to maneuver and turn back on the road,” he says. “Some folks were abandoning their cars and running, and those closest to the tanker were simply merged into a wall of red.”

Before he could fully understand what was happening, the entire commercial bus he was in had vacated, with people rushing to save their lives: the driver ran first, he says.

Adesina Tiamiyu, head of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, tells CNN that many people were still trapped in the fire after the arrival of the response units. The number of injured victims is unknown at this time.


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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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