Two Dead in Lekki-Epe Tanker Explosion

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

A tragic gas tanker explosion in the early hours of Saturday has left two people dead and several properties destroyed along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

The incident occurred around 2:36 a.m. at Tera Ahmed bus stop in Sangotedo, following a collision between a 30-tonne gas tanker and a speeding 20-tonne tipper truck approaching from the Epe axis.

According to the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the tipper rammed into the tanker, which had reportedly stopped on the highway without pulling off the road.

The impact sparked a massive fire that quickly spread to nearby buildings, engulfing three warehouses and 10 roadside shops, including a gym and a generator house.

Firefighters from Lekki Phase II, Oniru, and Epe II stations responded swiftly, successfully containing the blaze before it could reach a nearby petrol station and a fully loaded 33,000-litre PMS tanker, preventing what could have been a far worse disaster.

Authorities confirmed that the tipper driver and his assistant lost their lives in the explosion, while the gas tanker driver escaped unharmed.

Emergency responders also recovered three Sienna buses, a Toyota Corolla, and a forklift from the affected area. Efforts are ongoing to clear the wreckage, as normal activities have gradually resumed at the scene.