Emergency Responders Chase Fuel Scoopers As Tanker Falls In Lagos

Yesterday, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, in conjunction with the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), successfully averted a potential explosion risk caused by fuel scoopers.

This incident occurred after a fuel-laden tanker toppled near Obadeyi bus stop, close to Meiran, along the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway in Lagos.

The lone accident of an articulated vehicle occurred in the morning.

Director of Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, said the service received a distress call at 6:50am and on arrival discovered that a 45,000 diesel tanker had upturned and split its contents on the road.

She said the content was doused from resulting in secondary incident with the application of copious chemical foam by the Agege Fire Station.

Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Taofiq Adebayo, confirmed that the tanker with number plate JJJ 596 XX fell around 6:10am and had its contents split on the expressway.

He said LASTMA officials, in order to prevent fire explosion, after arriving on the scene, chased away scoopers and cordoned off the area.

“After arriving on the scene, LASTMA personnel called the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services, including LASEMA Response Unit (LRU) and secured the environment against street urchins (area boys) and other people who had started scooping diesel with buckets/jerry cans,” he said.

Adebayo said policemen from Meiran Police Division provided security backup on the scene.

“Preliminary investigations showed that the fallen tanker, fully loaded with diesel, was coming from Abule-Egba, going to Ijaiye before the driver lost control due to a brake failure at Obadeyi.”

“There was traffic diversion at Ahmadiya bus stop,” he added.

Traffic Officer Ajanlekoko Bolade (Bravo 19, Abule-Egba), who led LASTMA rescue operations to the scene, confirmed that the driver of the tanker ran away after the incident.