The Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA), on Thursday night said its officials recovered nine bodies including a minor from the scene of the fire that followed an explosion caused a petrol laden tanker truck, hours before.
A statement by Adesina Tiamiyu, General Manager of the agency said four person s sustained various degrees of injuries and were taken to the hospital, while a total of 54 vehicles were completely burnt as a result of the inferno.
The Mack taker truck loaded with 33,000 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), moving inward the popular Berger bus stop in Lagos fell at about 5.23pm and spilled its content on the road, resulting in the fire outbreak.
Also, a statement by Kehinde Bamigbetan, Lagos State Information and Strategy Commissioner, while commiserating with the families of victims who lost their lives and property in the explosion, described the incident as a sad, most unfortunate and regrettable development.
He said state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, “has directed all relevant agencies to move into the area to normalise the apprehension that had taken over the area and to also ensure that those in need are adequately taken care of.”
He assured that clearing the highway of damaged vehicles to establish normal traffic flow would continue throughout the night, urging all citizens to cooperate with the officials of the various agencies to restore normalcy.
Buhari, Govs, Atiku, Sympathise
Reactions continued over the night from far and near, expressing regret at the incident while commiserating with families of those who lost their lives and property in the black Thursday incidence.
President Muhammadu Buhari, for example, in a tweet, sympathized “with the government and people of Lagos State, and the victims of the tanker fire incident,” praying for the repose of souls of the dead and that God would “comfort all those who lost loved ones.”
Tweeting via his personal handle, Governor Hassan Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State described the fire as unfortunate, praying that God would “grant quick recovery to the injured and eternal repose to the dead.”
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State twitted also: “My heart goes out to the families of those we lost in the tragic Lagos tanker Explosion. May the almighty rest the dead and grant them peace in the hereafter.”
Former Vice President, now Presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, wrote: “My thoughts are with the fellow Nigerians who have lost lives and property in the tanker fire in Lagos.”
Senator Ben Murray-Bruce (Bayelsa), lamented the “sad scenes from Lagos,” expressing sincere gratitude to the first responders, while praying that God consoles “families who have lost loved ones in the fire, and may their souls rest in peace. Sad!”
