Prompt intervention by Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), on Tuesday, September 21, prevented another petrol explosion at the Abule Ado area of the state.
A quick response to a distress call through LASEMA’s 767/112 toll free lines, averted the ugly incident, following an upturn of a petroleum tanker loaded with 50,000 litres of petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS).
It was gathered that the recovery operation of the 50,000 litres capacity tanker, which commenced at 4:59p.m. with quick security of the incident site and public enlightenment, LASEMA and its primary stakeholders saved the day.
The upturned petroleum tanker with unknown registration number, which was filled to capacity, fell and spilled its contents a few metres away from two schools (one public and the other private), which were visited by the LASEMA Response Teams for preventive and protective purposes.
The schools were enlightened during the operation that terminated at 22:27p.m., on the dangers of their continued stay close to the incident site before being evacuated to safety.
The agency said it intervened in 1,163 incidents as of August 31, 2021. Available data shows that out of the 1,163 recorded incidents in which LASEMA intervened from January to August, Lagos had experienced 26 fallen truck/tankers, five oil tanker spillages, two oil tanker explosions, 284 tanker accidents, seven truck/tankers on fire, 41 trailer accidents, 355 road crashes, with 48 medical emergencies and one pipeline explosion.
Speaking on the Abule Ado intervention, LASEMA DG/CEO, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said: “Upon arrival of the agency’s response team at the incident scene, a tanker with an unknown registration number loaded with 50,000 litres of PMS belonging to Petrocam Petroleum was seen upturned.
“Further investigation revealed that the tanker driver due to the bad state of the road accidentally ran into a pothole and lost its balance, this resulted in the incident and in spillage of the fallen tanker’s contents.
“The LASG firemen were on ground to contain the spillage.
However this incident happened a few metres away from a government school, Satellite Primary and Secondary Schools and also, a private school.
“The team has however visited the two schools to make sure all pupils and teachers are evacuated from the premises.
