In a devastating incident that rocked the Ogun State community, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed that a gas tanker explosion at Ita Osin along the Abeokuta-Sango-Lagos Expressway left a tragic toll in its wake.
The catastrophic blast claimed the life of one individual and injured six others, while an additional six vehicles were incinerated in the raging inferno.
The grim details of the gas tanker explosion in Ogun State were shared by Florence Okpe, the Ogun State Sector Command spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), in a statement to the media.
Okpe confirmed the tragic death of a motorboy, who was believed to be employed by the gas-laden tanker company, among the casualties of the explosion.
Okpe from the Federal Road Safety Corps shed light on the timeline of the incident, stating that the catastrophic gas tanker accident occurred at approximately 4:10pm.
According to Okpe, the tanker driver lost control of the vehicle due to a brake failure, causing it to collide with a roadside culvert, which then triggered a massive explosion that engulfed the surrounding area in flames. The devastating impact of the explosion extended beyond the initial point of contact, setting five cars ablaze and destroying two nearby shops.
He said “The crash occurred at about 1610 hrs Involving a tanker laden with gas. The number of people involved was 06 and all male adults, 02 got injured but unfortunately, 1 person died from the fire incident which is the motor boy who was trapped.
“A total of 05 vehicles were involved with registration numbers as follows, AAN544 YC NISSAN, GDB841XR MICRA, LSD993 CY NISSAN, T23771 LA SINO TRUCK, and a HONDA CRV with no registration number on it.
“The suspected cause of the crash was mechanical deficiency( brake failure ) and the vehicle crash on the road barricade then went into flames and other vehicles around / shops were burnt.
“The fire service was contacted immediately and the scene was conned also to avoid a secondary crash.
“The corpse was deposited at the State General Hospital morgue Abeokuta and the injured victims were taken by the family.
“The Ogun State Director of Fire Service, Fatai Adefala while confirming the incident said that the fire service men were still on the ground clearing the wreckage of the burnt tanker at the time of filing this report.”
